Shards of Darkness
by Captain Anon
Summary: Zordon traveled from Eltar to stop the universe from being destroyed. His mission was to retrieve that which started the war between Good and Evil. Six warriors were chosen to carry out his mission. This is their story. Dark AU MMPR.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** This is a new fic I've been working on for a while. My take on the MMPR Universe. Much darker than the show. This chapter is the prologue, giving the background of my MMPR Universe. Let me know what you think.

Thanks to Shawn for being my beta reader for this fic. Your feedback was extremely helpful. And thanks to everyone who read and reviewed "Going To Be Okay," it provided the push to go ahead with this story. Hope y'all like it.

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_There was a time where there was no battle between Good and Evil. There was a time when there was no such thing as Good or Evil._

_There was only the Imanyd._

_The Imanyd belonged to the Elders of Eltar, a powerful group of Eltarians whose knowledge was a source of wonder to all. They were the first and most powerful beings of the galaxy. The source of power for the Eltarians was the Imanyd, a liquid solution of pure power. The Imanyd was used to build their civilization and planet – it was also used to form several other planets and serves as the main power source for all magic in the universe. The universe was at peace for thousands of years, but as the Elders began to age, they began to fear the substance falling into the wrong hands._

_The Eltarians were not a race of Good or Evil, but of Logic. They were not advocates of right or wrong, but simply realized that the destruction of many was irrational and an unnecessary waste of resources. Although there was really no Good or Evil at this point in time, there were those who could easily be swayed given the right amount of power at hand. The Elders had seen visions of the future – a future where Good and Evil would battle for centuries to come, and wanted to prevent the death and devastation at all costs. They knew the power for such destruction could only come from the Imanyd._

_The Imanyd was not a source of good, only a source of power, making it useful to those that were pure as well as those who were tainted. Upon their death, the Elders froze the solution into a solid crystal, no larger than a Rubik's cube. This crystal was then shattered into several pieces and scattered across the universe. The pieces individually have great strength, but the true power comes from the combination of all the pieces into one pure substance._

_Zordon, son of the Head Elder, Gali, received a message from his father following his death. Gali relayed to his son the vision of the future. He explained how the future was filled with death and devastation; he feared this would come from the scattering of the Imanyd. It was the only logical explanation for the level of destruction that would come and obliterate this period of existing peace. In his last message, Gali requested that Zordon find the Shards of the Imanyd, ensuring the safety of the universe. The bloodshed in the impending war had already been envisioned, and in their attempt to stop the war, the Elders would ironically start it. Gali felt guilt for the hand he knew the Elders would play in the war, but they could not stop it – the future had already been decided. What he didn't tell Zordon, however, was his very last vision of the future – the night before his death. Yes, there was bloodshed in the war, but he also saw a team of warriors that fought for the side of Good. That team was under the guidance of his son._

_At his father's request, Zordon devoted his life to finding the Shards of the Imanyd, leaving home after completing his schooling with only his clothes, food, old Eltarian texts, and the symbol of the Elders of Eltar hanging around his neck – it was the only thing left to him by his father. He had been able to gather more information about the shards over time, enlisting the help of his friend from his youth, Alpha 5. Zordon had successfully found six shards across the universe; he was not sure how many were still missing. In his search for the shards, Zordon had acquired many enemies. He was not the only one who knew of the shards or their awesome power – his mission became more dangerous with each passing day._

_Centuries of living showed Zordon the effect the shards could have. He watched Ivan Ooze come to power by harnessing the energy of one of the shards; he saw Lord Zedd create Serpentera using the raw energy trapped within a small shard; he witnessed the birth of Goldar by Rita Repulsa and her beginning as a young sorceress by using a shard as a source. Zordon did not understand why the shards brought out the worst in people – in Ivan Ooze, unbridled contempt; in Lord Zedd, ruthless ambition; in Rita Repulsa, unforeseen corruption. He had six of the shards in his possession, and nothing had pushed him onto the side of Evil._

_It wasn't until finding the seventh shard did Zordon truly understand._

_Zordon was fast approaching the seventh shard on the Machine Empire, but he was not alone. King Mondo had already succumbed to the power of one of the shards, giving him a seemingly insatiable greed for power, and he wanted the shard he recently discovered was on his planet. Once Zordon found the shard deep in a chasm of the Machine Empire, he was met by Prince Gasket, who had come to secure the shard in his father's name. Zordon expected a full-on fight, so he was floored when Prince Gasket refused to attack once the shard was in his hand. The young prince stated, as if in a trance, that it made more sense for the Eltarian to take the shard, as in his father's hand, it would mean the destruction of many, handing the shard over to the wizard. Zordon quickly grabbed the shard and disappeared, not waiting for the prince to snap out of it and realize what he had done. _

_Zordon did not understand the Prince's change in attitude. Before coming near the shard, he was running full speed towards the chasm, screaming how he would destroy him once he got the shard. All his anger and rage diminished in the presence of the shard, turning the enraged prince into a calm, rational man. Zordon could only assume the shard was the source for the prince's drastic change. He began to wonder: if the shard could have such a change on the Prince from evil to good, it was highly possible that a shard could have the reverse effect. It made sense, given the emergence of evil beings only after having contact with the shard. The more Zordon thought on it, **all** of them became evil only after having found a shard._

_In shattering the Imanyd, the Elders unknowingly disrupted its natural balance. As a liquid, the components of the Imanyd were able to mix evenly, but as a crystal, this was not the case. The Imanyd was made of pure power: magnetic, deceiving, tempting, empowering, dominating – all the characteristics of raw, unadulterated power. Shattering the Imanyd into shards literally broke the power into its different qualities. Direct contact with the shards amplified that quality in the beholder. Zordon was not affected by the shards he possessed as the qualities were those instilled in all Eltarians from birth. The shards never altered him, simply strengthened._

_This explained why Zordon was able to find the seven shards so easily. The shards possessed the attributes of power that Zordon was already familiar with. He felt a connection to the shards, and that connection led him straight to them. It also explained why he could never detect the shards found by those on the side of Evil. He had no natural connection to those qualities, so no connection existed between him and those shards._

_Although this disappointed Zordon, it did not deter him. Everything was beginning to come together. When he originally set out on his quest, he had no idea how many shards existed. Having found seven, he had strong reason to believe that at least seven more existed. The Imanyd existed as a source of power, a balance of the Good and Evil qualities that come with having power. If he found seven shards that possessed positive qualities, there must exist seven shards to balance them, otherwise the Imanyd could not act as a source of pure power._

_Four of the seven were already in use – by Lord Zedd, Ivan Ooze, Rita Repulsa, and King Mondo. That meant there were three that were unaccounted for. Zordon was hesitant on this hypothesis; although all reason pointed to there being three shards left, he felt something was missing. The Elders were very smart and particular about everything they did. It was no coincidence that there were seven shards in his possession – there **were** Seven Principles of the Eltarian Way._

_

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_

_There had to be more to the Imanyd, Zordon was sure of it – nothing the Eltarians did was ever so straightforward. With Alpha 5, Zordon began to tear through everything they knew aboard his ship. There were seven positive shards – he called them the Shards of Light. The Shards of Light possessed the positive qualities of power, the Seven Principles of the Eltarian Way – trust, honor, respect, integrity, persistence, reason, and discipline. Balancing these were seven other shards possessing the negative qualities of power – he called these the Shards of Darkness. From what he knew of the beings in existence, four of the seven shards' qualities were known – ambition, contempt, greed, and corruption. The last three qualities were unknown to the wizard. With Alpha, he made a list of potential qualities, wanting to at least have some idea of what type of foe a new shard would bring if it fell in the wrong hands. Realizing the similarities among the traits, they realized the remaining qualities fit into three categories – brutality, deceit, and lust._

_Zordon reviewed the shards he had, they were of equal size and shape to one another. From Prince Gasket's familiarity with the shard, he could only guess the one in his father's possession was similar. The shards were tiny in his hands, no larger than two inches, shaped like elongated diamonds. He knew the shards made a particular shape, a small cube, as explained by his father. He asked Alpha to scan the shard into the main computer and to make thirteen duplicates._

_"Computer, arrange the shards to make a small cube. Dimensions of the cube are unknown. Resize seven of the duplicates if necessary. The remaining six are fixed to the dimensions of the scanned shard."_

_"Understood." The computer began to rapidly run through the possible configurations on the screen. After what seemed like millions of combinations, the computer stopped._

_"Error."_

_Zordon looked at the computer, surprised._

_"Given the set restrictions, there is no possible way to from the desired shape."_

_Zordon stared hard at the screen. "Computer, show me the optimal combination for shards of equal dimensions." The computer made a few noises before showing Zordon what he asked for. His eyes widened._

_"Computer, provide a tactile projection of this combination. Detail, highest degree."_

_The computer complied, as a 3D image shot from the screen in front of the young wizard. Zordon grasped the projected image, turning it full circle. He gave a startled gasp at the large hole in the center, releasing the 3D cube. Alpha 5 moved as quickly as he could to his old friend. _

_"Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi! What is it, Zordon?" The Eltarian gave a strangled laugh, hand moving to the pendant his father left him around his neck._

_"Fifteen, Alpha." He turned to his friend with a small smile. "There are fifteen shards."_

_"How do you know for sure, Zordon? I thought you said there must be balance. Fifteen gives an odd number of shards." Zordon grinned at his friend. He reached for the 3D projection._

_"Computer," he stated softly, "highlight the hole in this combination. Remove the exterior. I want to see the shape that keeps the shards from making a cube."_

_The computer did as told, showing the remaining hole. Zordon gave a shout of happiness, grinning down at his old friend. "I should've known."_

_Alpha 5 looked at his friend with as close to a look of confusion as it could muster._

_Zordon lifted his pendant from around his neck. Moving quickly to the computer, he scanned it into the main computer._

_"Computer, enlarge scanned object proportionately to the dimensions that will allow it to fit inside the hole in the combination of the existing 3D image. Make a tactile projection. Detail, highest." The computer made a few noises before doing as told. Quickly, Zordon grabbed the new image, flipping it over and moving it inside the hole._

_Alpha 5 began to light up in excitement. "Zordon! You did it. It fits perfectly!"_

_Zordon shook his head. "Not yet, Alpha. We still have a ways to go, but now we know what we're looking for." He laughed in happiness – they had an edge over the enemy._

_"If you don't mind my asking…how did you know?" The robot cocked his head to the side. Zordon smiled, lifting his pendant up to the light to show Alpha the scripture barely visible on the front._

_"What does that say?" Zordon grinned at his friend._

_"Control is the key to Balance." It was true. For every positive quality in power, there existed a negative to balance it. The key to it all however, was control._

_After their discovery of the existence of a fifteenth shard, the Shard of Balance – control, Zordon began to reformulate his plan on collecting the existing shards. Although he had seven in his possession, eight still remained; four of which were already in another's possession. Zordon would not be able to get those shards on his own. He had too many in his possession and too many aware of what he was doing to try and find the remaining shards. His time was better spent protecting what he had – but he still needed the shards. Even if he could go out and find them on his own, it would still require centuries of searching… he did not want more time to be devoted to bloodshed._

_Zordon stared at the shards before him. The Seven Principles of the Eltarian Way were in his hands._

_Maybe… He was a young wizard, but he was also the son of Gali. Zordon knew his wizarding powers were very strong, and with the shards at his possession…_

_Zordon moved quickly, gathering the shards and running off to his quarters._

_Alpha 5 stood in the main room, at a loss for his friend's sudden disappearance. He looked at the computer screen; they would be on Earth in a few hours. They were in need of rest, and the small world seemed just the right spot to stop. They doubted any of their enemies would look for them on such a primitive world._

_After hours waiting on his friend, Alpha grew tired, making the switch to hibernation mode. His sleep didn't last, however, as a door slammed open, jerking the robot awake._

_"Ay-yi-yi, Zordon! What is it?" Zordon grinned at his friend in excitement, showing him the six gold coins in his hands._

_"I don't understand, Zordon. You made coins?" Zordon rushed to the main table, putting them under the light._

_"Power coins, Alpha."_

_The robot snapped back in surprise. "But I detect no power…" Zordon gave a sheepish look._

_"Well, they will be. At least I hope so." He looked closely at the coins. Ape, bear, frog, wolf, crane, and falcon._

_"Animals? Why animals? And why those?" Zordon looked at his friend before shrugging._

_"I looked through that Phaedosian text, the one given to me by Dulcea last century." Alpha 5 nodded. "Well, the text showed me how to make the coins." He paused. "I was looking for something to hold a vast amount of power, but would be easily concealed. Coins work, don't you think?"_

_Alpha nodded, not sure where he was going with this._

_"And I used this," he reached into his robes, pulling out a scroll, "to find a power bearer." He looked around the ship. "This planet will probably be our last stop, Alpha. Old girl's falling apart."_

_Alpha could not deny the sorry condition of their ship – a couple centuries in space can be grueling on a machine, even the Astro Megaship._

_"I can't… **we** can't go gallivanting around the galaxy anymore. Not with these shards, Alpha. I have to stay and protect them. Which means I need someone in my place to look for the others…"_

_Alpha nodded. "But Zordon, how will you find this someone? I'm not sure if you know this, but this planet, Earth? It is toxic to you, old friend. The planet's atmosphere is approximately 70 percent nitrogen."_

_Zordon blanched, grimacing. "I'm aware of this Alpha. That's why I used Ninjor's scroll. Remember when he said the time will come when I will have to find my champions?" Zordon paused. "This is it, Alpha."_

_Unraveling the scroll, he began reading the ancient language. "There are only six who can access the ancient power of the Ninja," he read. "Their time will come when He can no longer go on." He looked at his friend._

_"This failing ship? The toxic planet? These are stopping me from completing my mission. This is it, Alpha!" Zordon turned back to the scroll. "I read the ancient scripture… the sacred animals of the Chosen Six shall come forth in his time of need. The animal spirits will find them." He pointed to the coins. "When I read this, lights shot out from the scroll. Six animals came out, Alpha, in different colors – pink, white, blue, red, black, and yellow. They must be here… on Earth."_

_Running back to his room, Zordon grabbed the seven shards, bringing them back with him to the table. "I think… I think I'm supposed to use these to – "_

_A flash of white light came from the shards, hitting the coins with tremendous force. Zordon and Alpha 5 flew backwards, landing on their backs. Shaking his head, Zordon stood up slowly, blinking several times._

_"Ouch." He reached down, helping his robotic friend. "Are you all right, Alpha?"_

_The robot shook his head, as if to clear it. "Ay-yi-yi…"_

_Slowly, Zordon walked over to the table, not sure of what he'd see. Cautiously, he peeked at the coins, grinning at what he saw. On the table, the six coins remained intact, but were now cackling with energy in various colors._

_He turned to Alpha. "When we land, we need to construct an energy tube to keep me alive on this new planet. We need to set up a base, something like a command center. It's going to take a while, but we can get it done. In my tube, my wizarding powers are far stronger."_

_He moved quickly to the console. "Computer, set our destination to a non-populated section of this new planet in the direction we are heading."_

_The computer made several noises before beeping. "Location found."_

_Zordon peered at the blue and green planet. "Name?"_

_"An unnamed desert outside of a nearby city. The species here calls it Angel Grove, California."_

_Zordon thought the name was very strange. "What species is this?"_

_The computer took a few seconds. "The scientific name on this planet is Homo sapien. Across the galaxy, they are known as humans."_

_"Interesting," he murmured. "Computer, provide me with as much information as possible on humans and this planet, Earth." Turning to Alpha, he grinned. "We will build our base of operations outside of this… Angel Grove." He tested the name._

_"And when we're done?" inquired Alpha._

_"I'll find my warriors."_

_Alpha put his hands on his hips. "You're going to name them Zordon's Warriors?"_

_Zordon hadn't really thought about naming them. He shook his head. "No. What about soldiers?" He grimaced as the words escaped his lips – too militant._

_"What about Rangers?" suggested Alpha. Zordon smiled. He could deal with rangers. Although it was the same as a soldier, the name was less… aggressive._

_"I like it… but my name can't be included." His face went stern. "They'll already have a target on their back by fighting for the side of Good. My name will just make it worse. But simply The Rangers won't do. There are Rangers in over half the galaxy."_

_Zordon looked around the room, eyes drawn to the coins on the table. Even at this distance, he could feel the energy surging through them… so much power._

_Zordon smiled widely, looking down at his friend. "That's it, Alpha," he said softly._

_"The Power Rangers."_

_

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**AN:** Feedback is appreciated. The next few chapters are ready to go, just need some reviews. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:** I own nothing but the idea. Characters and all that belongs to Saban. Please read and review. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you to all of you that reviewed, and again, thanks to Shawn for beta reading. The prologue was just to give a background on how this war started, different than the show. This chapter will give an idea on what it means to be a Power Ranger in my MMPR Universe. Hope y'all like it._

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**Ancient Olympic Ruins**

**Olympia, Greece**

**Saturday, 3:43 PM, local time**

Six rays of light touched down in front of the ruins at Olympia, Greece. Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Tommy, Billy, and Kimberly materialized in their respective colors, eager to get this latest mission of Zordon's over with. This was not how any of them would like to spend their Saturday, but they were used to their time being used for missions instead of normal teen activities.

Over the last few months, the intergalactic being had the six teenagers all over the universe – from deep inside the Arctic Circle to other planets, such as Mirinoi. He had given the rangers the task of collecting shards from across the universe. Zordon was vague on the nature of the shards, only informing the teens that retrieving them was essential to the existence of the universe.

That was enough for them.

Their last two trips involved a run in with enemies – some new, some old. Goldar and Rito Revolto found the rangers in a cave in New Zealand. The villains were particularly ruthless in their attempt to steal the shard, nearly fatally wounding Rocky in a deadly chase near a waterfall.

Their journey to the Machine Empire forced the rangers to fight a new foe, Archerina, who had penchant for shooting people with arrows. Zordon only commented on the shards having mystical powers. Whatever those shards were for, if the number of villains trying to covet them was any indication, they needed to be guarded.

Billy tucked away his flashlight, holding the tracking beam in front of him. He scrunched his face in confusion. The tracker indicated that the shard was right where they were. Its energy reading was through the roof; Billy feared the tracker would blow out eventually.

"Guys," he called out. They all looked at him. "The tracker says the shard is right here where we stand…but I see nothing indicating that this claim is justified."

Rocky studied him for a moment. "It's been right on picking up the energy all the other times."

Billy nodded. "I recognize this, Rocky, but there is clearly no shard in our immediate vicinity."

Adam walked over to his blue friend, pondering the tracker for a few seconds. His eyes moved from the tracker to the surrounding area. There was nothing but ruins surrounding them. If a shard were nearby, it would definitely be apparent in this rubble. The shards emitted a bright blue glow – even with the sun out, the shard would shine like a beacon. The teens had already found one shard near Ivan Ooze's burial site and stolen another from King Mondo – they were familiar with what they looked like.

Adam bit his bottom lip in thought. "Maybe it's underground?"

Billy considered this idea – it was not at all farfetched. "Let me contact Alpha and Zordon to see if they can run a scan on our position. Maybe they can detect some type of cavern below the surface."

Rocky laughed softly. "Just call it a cave, Billy." The senior ranger looked at his friend, smiling sheepishly. He honestly couldn't help it.

Tommy Oliver sat down on a nearby boulder, waiting for Alpha to run the scan over the area. His hair was tied back in a strict ponytail, out of his face in case of a battle. Tommy wore a white muscle shirt, dark denim jeans hanging low on his hips. He sighed – he was absolutely bored.

Tommy looked out over his friends. Rocky and Adam were playfully sparring nearby. Both were wearing muscle shirts in their respective colors and shorts – Rocky in khakis, Adam in jean shorts. Tommy scoffed, slightly annoyed he hadn't worn shorts today. From the way the breeze across his arms, he knew the cool air would feel nice on his long legs. Billy stood off to the side, speaking quietly into his communicator with Zordon and Alpha. Aisha and Kimberly were sitting together on the ground, quietly whispering and giggling to each other. Tommy gave a slight smile at the inseparable duo.

Kimberly Hart. His wonderful, beautiful, amazing girlfriend. The dark jean shorts she was sporting were causing all sorts of naughty images to run across his mind, like peeling them off of her body… with his teeth. She was currently wearing a pink tank top, but it was hidden by the huge sweatshirt she wore over the top. Kimberly's small frame was wrapped up in his white Angel Grove University sweatshirt – the letters 'AGU' were in navy blue. All one could see of her body were her small hands sticking out, her head peaking through the top, and her long, strong legs protruding from the bottom of her shorts. Tommy gave a low groan at the sight of her ass in those shorts; they were long enough to keep from revealing anything but short enough to tease you with the swells of those round cheeks every now and then. He bit his lip at the thought.

He smiled when he saw her body go rigid for a few seconds – she could feel him watching. He saw her run a hand through her hair, leaning over to whisper something to Aisha. Aisha nodded, moving then to stand up and stretch. Kimberly stood with her, laughing softly at something Aisha said before parting ways. She turned towards him, bottom lip sliding between her teeth. She moved towards him, stopping when her legs brushed against his longer ones.

"Hey," she said softly, almost shyly.

He looked up at her, and his breath caught in his throat. The sun was heading down, and with Kim's position, it made her look heavenly with the sun shining behind her. Tommy eyed her for a second before scooting back on his boulder, widening the space between his thighs – it was just enough room for someone of her size. "Hey."

She moved to sit between his legs, his arms automatically moving to wrap around her waist, tucking inside the pockets in the front of the sweatshirt. "Bored?" she asked.

He groaned softly before burying his face into her neck, making her giggle. "It's almost 6 AM our time. I can't deal with the time change. My mind says it's midday but my body is still waking up."

Kimberly chuckled softly, turning sideways to face her boyfriend. Reaching up, she touched the side of his face. "Aww, poor baby…" she cooed mockingly, pinching his cheek.

He scoffed, pouting at her. Kimberly smiled before leaning up and kissing him soundly on the lips. Tommy felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck from the contact, and he pulled away briefly. Kimberly looked up at him, her eyes trying to read his face in the sunlight. Tommy looked off to the side, quickly checking where their friends were before making his move.

Tommy scooped Kimberly into his arms, lifting her up before closing his legs beneath her. Kimberly held in her shocked gasp, blushing as Tommy sat her in his lap. She could feel her neck burning, and she felt a smile creep over her face as he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"Now, where were we?" He smiled at her softly before leaning in to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. Tommy pulled her closer to his body as their lips fused together, the heat increasing in their kiss. Kimberly let out a low moan, sending jolts right to Tommy's groin. The need for air arose, and the two parted, breathing deeply. Kimberly scanned Tommy's face briefly, gaze lingering on his lips as she bit her bottom lip nervously. Tommy grinned, kissing her and pulling her bottom lip from its hiding place with his teeth. Kimberly giggled, smiling against his lips briefly before grabbing his face between her hands, pouring every ounce into the kiss. Her tongue snaked into his mouth, dueling with his in their passionate kiss.

"Oh fearless leader! Kimmie!" shouted Rocky, his tone annoyingly high-pitched. Tommy broke off the kiss with a frustrated sigh, resting his forehead against Kim's.

"I'm going to kill Rocky once this whole thing is over," he mumbled lowly.

Kim laughed, extricating herself from her boyfriend. Standing, she reached out her hands, grasping his larger ones tightly. She tugged his hands. "Come on, handsome."

With a groan, Tommy stood to his feet, stretching his long limbs in the process. He scowled as he saw Rocky waving furiously at them, reaching down with his right hand to grab Kimberly's left. Interlocking their fingers, Tommy and Kim walked over to their teammates, curious as to what all the noise was for.

"There's a large cavern underground. The size alone rivals that of the Command Center." Billy ran a hand over his face in frustration. "Alpha will teleport us there shortly. Have your flashlights ready." The teens pulled out their flashlights, turning them on.

Adam scowled when Rocky flashed his light directly in his eyes, reaching over to smack him hard in the stomach. Rocky winced, groaning from the impact of his friend's fist.

"Adam… ow," he moaned in pain. "I don't like it when you play rough." Aisha snickered at Rocky's choice of words, and if anyone looked closely, they could see Adam's ears burning red.

Kim giggled at Aisha and Tommy smirked, laughing at Rocky's sputtering to explain what he meant. Before he could speak however, the teens were teleported away from the ruins, relocating underground.

Tommy looked around with his flashlight. "Everyone okay?"

A chorus of 'yeahs' indicated that everyone was fine.

"I think we should morph. We can't really see what's down here, and I'd rather be prepared in case something comes at us."

The others murmured their agreement, each morphing into their Ninjetti robes. Tommy pulled back the hood of his robe, looking around the area. The cavern was almost completely shrouded in darkness, save for a few rays of light that shined from the surface.

"Billy?" The boy in blue looked at his friend for a second before snapping into action. "Right."

Lifting the tracker, Billy winced at the strain on the small machine. It was beginning to short circuit, a clear sign the shard was nearby. "It should be up ahead… 200, maybe 250 paces."

Tommy nodded. "Rocky, head up the front." The young man moved, stepping ahead of Billy. "Billy, Aisha, flank him on either side. Help direct him to the shard. Aisha, use your animal spirit to look in the dark where our flashlights don't reach. Look for any motion in the shadows." She closed her eyes, connecting with her animal spirit.

"Adam, you and Kim fall behind Billy and Aisha. Adam, you get behind Billy. The frog's night vision is stronger than the bear's. If anything were to attack us, it would be from behind Billy or on the side." Adam nodded. "Kim, you have the best hearing out of all of us. Listen for anything… unusual. I'll pull up the rear."

The teens got into formation, walking forward slowly as they made their way through the cavern.

"If you see anything that moves with the intention of attacking… stop it. By any means necessary." They all nodded, taking note of the hard edge in his tone.

Adam and Aisha kept a look out for anything moving in the shadows; their pupils were heavily dilated and their eyes showed little white in them.

Aisha shook her head slowly. "Wow."

Kim turned towards her friend, her eyes solid white from accessing the acute hearing of the crane. "What is it, Aisha?"

Adam answered for her. "This place is massive guys." He turned around in a full circle. "This must have been some type of underground arena or something."

Adam took in the area around him. A large circular stage, five times the size of the main control room of the Command Center, was before them. Around the stage were several large stone blocks. The stones were deteriorating; some missing large pieces, but it was obvious that they once served as seats around the arena.

"Stairs. Twelve of them. About nineteen paces," murmured Aisha. Rocky nodded, turning his flashlight before him. As Aisha stated, there were large steps in front of them.

Rocky took notice of the large gaping holes in the stones beneath his feet. "Be careful guys, the steps are in bad shape."

"About fifty paces left," said Billy softly, tucking the tracker in his robes after turning it off. At this point, the device was no longer needed. The shard's energy could be felt all around them.

Kimberly stopped walking abruptly, and Tommy nearly walked over her.

"Kim?" he whispered softly. She shook her head, cocking it to the side. _"We're not alone_," she said softly, using their Ninjetti link to tell them all telepathically.

The other rangers perked up at this. _"Do you hear them, Tommy?"_ Tommy closed his eyes, accessing his own animal spirit. He nodded vigorously.

_"There are over forty of them,"_ said Billy with a scowl in their heads. _"I can hear them breathing."_

_"Turn off your lights."_ The rangers nodded, concentrating their energy on accessing their acute animal senses in the darkness. _"Summon your weapons."_

One by one, the rangers felt their respective weapons appear in their hands. Aisha tucked her butterfly swords into the pockets of her robe, opting only to use them when necessary. Adam twirled his nunchucks around his body, familiarizing himself with them once again. Kimberly twirled her sais in her hands in rapid circles with gentle flicks of the wrist. Billy stood remote with his broadswords, solemnly remembering the last time he had to use them in the Arctic Circle. Tommy did a quick kata with his bo staff, testing the weight in his hands.

_"Spread out. All communication will be done through our link."_

The teens split up, heading in opposite directions. Tommy reached from Kimberly's arm as she walked past him. She turned towards him, not surprised when he leaned down to give her a quick, firm kiss. Pulling away, she squeezed his arm firmly before heading off into the dark.

Rocky walked forward smugly, hands in his pockets; he began to whistle the song "A Hunting We Will Go." The sound was loud in the dark cavern, and slightly ominous given the knowledge of an impending attack. Rocky took a leisurely pace, knowing he was confusing the enemies that hid in the shadows. He could smell them; their pungent odors made him grimace. He looked up in the dark cave, whistling louder as the smell began to get stronger. They were moving towards him.

Silently, Rocky summoned his weapons, grinning at the familiar weight of the katana in each hand.

_"Rocky, they're coming at you. One on the left, two on the right," _said Adam quickly.

Rocky smiled. _"I know. I can smell their sweat."_

Aisha grimaced. _"Really? That's absolutely disgusting."_ The others chuckled over the link.

Rocky could literally feel one of them hovering near him. Rocky stopped whistling, moving quickly to bring his katana down on the surprised head of a Tengu Warrior. The large creature squawked in surprise before its head was severed, rolling to hit the feet of the Tengu Warrior next to it.

"Go!" yelled Tommy out loud. The rangers shot off, finding their enemies in the dark.

It was a loud clash of metal against metal. In the air, the smell of blood and sweat mixed together, getting stronger as the battle waged on.

Adam executed a butterfly kick to the chest of one of the Tengu, stunning it as it fell to the ground. He knocked it unconscious with a quick blow to the head, lowering to make sure it was out cold. Two Tengu surprised Adam from behind, preparing to attack him. Adam turned at their sudden arrival, preparing to strike, but relaxed seeing the large blade protruding from each of their stomachs. The blades withdrew, and the Tengu fell dead to the ground.

Billy walked over to Adam. "You alright?" The black ranger nodded, looking around in the dark.

_"Guys, there are more than just Tengu down here,"_ he said telepathically, surveying the cavern. There were Tengu, Tyrannodrones, and Piranhatrons all over the place.

Aisha grunted as she shoved a dead Piranhatron off of her. She wiped the dirt off of her face. _"Yeah, I know." _She removed her butterfly knife from its chest. _"That means Zeltrax and Rygog are here."_

Tommy swung his bo staff in a strong arc, using his Ninjetti power to send a blast wave at his strong opponent. _"And Goldar."_

Goldar growled at the white ranger, running at him full speed with his sword in hand. He swung at Tommy, forcing the ranger to evade the deadly blow. It was difficult to fight the creature in the dark. Goldar had the advantage, his vision in the night as clear as in daylight. He quickly jumped at the opportunity to fight the leader of the Power Rangers.

Tommy's limbs were burning. Goldar seemed stronger than before, more sadistic. He had already slashed Tommy twice, deep across the abdomen and along his left leg. Goldar, noticing the wounds, kicked out at Tommy, slamming his foot directly against the wound on his leg. Startled, Tommy let out a pained groan, falling to one knee as Goldar maintained pressure on his leg.

"I've been wanting to kill you for so long, Falcon," Goldar hissed. Tommy could see Goldar's red eyes glowing in the dark. They looked crazed… maniacal. He swung forward, slamming his hand into the wound on the boy's stomach. Tommy nearly doubled over from the pain.

"I'm going to make you suffer. Peel your skin from your bones and watch you die. Slowly." Goldar grinned. Reaching forward, he grabbed Tommy roughly by the throat, lifting him high into the air. Tommy could feel his eyes watering. A whistling noise in the air registered faintly in Tommy's mind as his world began to fade.

Suddenly, Goldar screamed in shock and pain. He released Tommy, dropping the teen to the ground in a heap. Tommy began to cough harshly, his lungs hungrily seeking oxygen.

Behind Goldar, a pink blur appeared. Kimberly glared coldly at the creature before her. Quickly, she grabbed her sai protruding from between his wings. The wound was deep and in the most vulnerable part of his body, leaving him winded. Seeing that Goldar was out of commission for a while, she ran over to Tommy.

"Baby, are you okay?" Tommy nodded vigorously and then winced, grabbing at his abdomen.

"Oh fuck, Tommy…" she murmured. His robes were damp from his blood, and he flinched when her hands brushed against his abdomen. Pushing him back, Kimberly grabbed his hands, interlocking his fingers with hers. She knew that doing this would give their position away, but at the moment, she really couldn't care less.

"Kim, now isn't the time to –" She shushed him, closing her eyes and concentrating on their link as a soft gold glow surrounded their bodies. Slowly, Tommy felt the pain in his abdomen and leg fade away. He could feel the wounds healing themselves… just a few more seconds of their connection and it would be fixed.

"You!" screamed Rygog. Kimberly released Tommy's hands, pissed that she didn't have time to fully heal him but happy that he could now stand on his own and protect himself. She stood up quickly, Tommy moving to her side.

_"Guys, I need help!"_ yelled Rocky over the link. _"I'm near the shard, but there's too many of them. I can't hold them off."_

Tommy looked down at Kim. "Go help Rocky get the shard. I'll hold off Rygog." She nodded, running quickly to where she could hear Rocky's grunts and groans.

Rocky was currently under siege; at least fifteen of only-God-knows-what were currently piled on top of him. He could barely move his limbs, mindful of the flurry of fists coming down on him. Frustrated, Rocky gave a loud growl. Summoning the power of the ape, Rocky grasped his katana tightly, swinging in a large circle.

"GET OFF OF ME!" he yelled, sending the creatures back a good ten feet. Dazed, the creatures jumped back up, converging on the red warrior again. Billy and Aisha came to his aid, rushing behind the Tyrannodrones and Tengu, diverting their attention from Rocky.

In the midst of driving his broadsword through the shoulder of a Tengu, Billy spotted Kimberly and Adam heading over.

"Where's Tommy?" he asked out of breath, pushing the wounded Tengu off his sword before swinging the other around to decapitate it.

"Fighting off Rygog." Billy nodded his understanding as Kim continued, "Where's Goldar?"

Adam laughed. "Funny thing. I think all of them are after the same thing. I was fighting off Goldar when Zeltrax came out of nowhere… took off one of Goldar's wings." Billy's eyes widened. "They're currently trying to kill each other."

Aisha grunted, taking an uppercut from a Tyrannodrone. She threw her knife at it in anger, later pulling it out from its forehead. "Can we _please_ get the fucking shard already?" she asked, spitting out blood.

"Adam, Kim, you two look for the shard. The rest of us will handle these cronies," ordered Rocky. "Before I got over here, they were digging in that spot over there." He pointed with his katana. The pink and black rangers nodded, running over.

"Remember," said Billy, swinging his sword at a Piranhatron, "try not to touch the shard." Billy recognized that following through with his request would be nearly impossible given the conditions of the current situation. However, Zordon stressed the importance of not making direct contact with them.

Kim and Adam got on their hands and knees, digging furiously.

Tommy stood over Rygog, staff nestled at the creature's throat. "Yield," he growled lowly. The being swallowed loudly before nodding, putting his hands up in surrender. Tommy waited a few seconds before removing his staff, turning his back on the hideous creature.

Rygog grew angry, having yielded to a Power Ranger. He gave a roar, moving quickly to his feet. Tommy anticipated this, reaching down to grab the sword Rygog lost early in the fight. Quickly, Tommy turned, allowing Rygog to run full speed onto his own sword. The creature's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, falling to his knees. Tommy stared at him before turning away, running over to his friends. He ignored the hard thud as Rygog fell to the ground, never to stand again.

Rocky grimaced as he received another kick to the stomach, biting his tongue in the process. "Son of a bitch," he groaned. Angrily, he swung out at the Tengu Warrior, cracking its beak with his fist before doing a low sweep of its feet.

"I'm really getting tired of you guys," he muttered. Unbeknownst to Rocky, a Tyrannodrone was sneaking behind him, ready to deliver a deadly strike to his back. Tommy flipped over behind his friend, slamming his foot into the chest of the Tyrannodrone before cracking its skull with his staff.

Rocky gave a genuine laugh. "I've never been so happy to see you." Tommy grinned back, slightly grimacing as Rocky flipped his katana around in his hand, slamming the butt of his sword into the Tengu's skull.

"What's the word on the shard?" yelled Tommy.

Kim sighed. "Nothing here," she yelled back as she continued to dig.

Adam let out a yelp. "Guys," he screamed, his hands holding a mound of dirt that emitted a faint blue glow. "This is it! I found it! I got the -"

Aisha looked on, horrified, as Goldar emerged behind Adam, bloodied and more enraged than ever. Grasping the back of the boy's robes, Goldar flung him to the other side of the cavern, the dirt pile falling from his hands. He landed with a sickening thud, and Aisha screamed, running over to check on her friend.

The pile of dirt flew up in the air, falling away from the shard which glowed brightly in the room. Goldar laughed sadistically, reaching out a bloody hand to grab the flying shard.

His laugh ended when Kimberly emerged, having thrown herself into a full-on flip. Her small hand snatched the shard right before it could make contact with Goldar, angering the creature to no end. He swung wildly in his rage, hitting her leg and knocking her off course. She fell hard onto her back, slamming her head into a nearby stone, knocking her unconscious.

"You stupid girl," snarled Goldar. Tommy's eyes widened as he saw Goldar move toward Kimberly's body, sword drawn.

"NO!" yelled the white ranger. He ran full speed to Goldar, swinging his bo staff at the evil being with all his might. Goldar stepped back in surprise, confused at Tommy's burst of energy. He laughed in the teen's face as he stood over his girlfriend.

"You didn't learn your lesson the first time, boy?" he grinned, readying himself to fight the teen once again.

Billy dialed in on his communicator. "Zordon! Alpha! Please come in!" The desperation in his voice was strange to his own ears.

"We read you, Billy," replied Alpha 5.

"Beam us back to the Command Center. We have the shard and are in immediate danger. Kimberly and Adam have suffered injuries." There was a pause.

"Prepare to teleport in twenty seconds." Rocky rushed over to Aisha, helping her pull an injured Adam into an upright position. He carried the bulk of Adam's weight.

"Tommy!" he yelled, hoping to get his friend's attention. Tommy's adrenaline was high, his energy spent on protecting Kimberly. Billy stood in front of Rocky and the others, fighting off the Tengu and Tyrannodrones that were still coming at them.

"God dammit, Tommy! Stop fighting Goldar! We're teleporting! Grab Kim and the shard! Let's GO!" Rocky yelled, distracting Tommy as Goldar swept him off his feet.

Tommy shook his head, looking over to see Kimberly still on the ground. Crawling quickly towards her, he grabbed her hand. Carefully, he pulled her up with him, resting her smaller frame against his larger one. He had one hand on the small of her back, the other interlocked with her fingers – the shard in between their hands.

"Teleporting now." The rangers began to glow faintly before a bright light appeared in the room, leaving no trace of them being there.

"NO!" growled Goldar angrily, throwing his sword to the ground where Tommy once stood in frustration. He would have to return to the Moon Palace to face Lord Zedd and Rita empty-handed… again.

* * *

The rangers landed in the Command Center, physically worn and mentally exhausted.

"Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" exclaimed Alpha, at the sight of an unconscious Adam and barely conscious Kimberly.

Rocky wiped his forehead. "Goldar threw Adam across the cavern. I'm not sure what he landed on, but it was hard enough to knock him out." He looked at the awkward angle of his friend's left arm. "I'm pretty sure his arm needs to be fixed." Rocky and Billy moved quickly, placing Adam on one of the tables.

Tommy held onto Kimberly's hand as he lowered her onto the other table, their fingers still intertwined. "I think Kim just has a concussion," he said softly, running his fingers through her hair.

Alpha ran a scan over Adam and Kimberly, checking their injuries. "They both will be fine. Adam's left arm is broken and he has a mild concussion. Kimberly has a more serious concussion. You must keep them awake." The rangers nodded, moving to keep their hurt friends awake.

Zordon looked down at his rangers. They were tired, hungry, and highly emotional. He wished he did not have to place such a burden on their young shoulders, but this war left him no choice.

"RANGERS," he began, "I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT ALL OF YOU ARE BACK HERE AND ALIVE." The rangers nodded; Adam and Kimberly stared dazedly at Zordon. "YOU ALL FOUGHT BRAVELY TODAY ON YOUR MISSION, AND I COMMEND YOU ON A JOB WELL DONE."

He looked at his rangers. "WHERE IS THE SHARD YOU RETRIEVED FROM GREECE?"

The rangers looked towards Tommy, who appeared to be slightly out of it. Blinking rapidly, he shook his head before removing his hand from Kim's. Tommy dropped the tiny shard on the table in front of him.

Zordon stared at his white ranger, trying desperately to conceal his reaction to the white ranger having touched the shard.

"TOMMY, HOW LONG HAVE YOU AND KIMBERLY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE SHARD?"

Tommy scrunched up his face. "I'm not sure, Zordon, everything happened so fast. Kimberly held it for longer than I did, but for the most part, we held it together." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We didn't mean to, Zordon, but with everything going on and digging it out the ground, it just sorta… happened," he finished lamely.

Zordon nodded, throwing a glance at Alpha 5 that did not go unnoticed by Billy.

"I UNDERSTAND, TOMMY. RANGERS, PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR QUARTERS. TAKE ADAM AND KIMBERLY TO THE MEDICAL BAY FIRST." The rangers nodded, heading out of the main room.

Alpha and Zordon stood in silence, staring at the tiny shard Tommy placed before them.

"Zordon… Tommy and Kimberly… they-" began Alpha.

The Eltarian shook his head. "I KNOW, ALPHA. I KNOW."


	3. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:** Glad you guys are liking the story. Here's a nice long chapter for you. I was going to wait to post but I decided to be nice. Keep the reviews coming - they keep me motivated. :) Let me know what you think! Hope y'all like it! And as a precaution, this chapter is rated M for a reason. Graphic sexual content below (thanks Bahamut Slayer for the review. Totally slipped my mind). Translations are in parentheses at the end of the sentence/section._

* * *

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Next Day, 7:27 AM**

Aisha held her mug of tea in her hand, sitting down in the recreation room of the Command Center. She needed something to get rid of the mix of saltwater and the coppery taste of blood in her mouth from the battle the day before. Her muscles were still sore, and she closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of the green tea.

Her ears perked up at the sound of a shirtless Rocky entering the room. She looked at her friend, noticing the blue bruises across his torso, abdomen, and back. The markings on his hips confirmed more bruises on the lower half of his body, covered by his gray sweatpants.

"You look like shit," she muttered with a half smile. Rocky looked at her before giving a small laugh.

"Alpha gave me some of that liquid…" he trailed off, forgetting the name of the substance. "That green shit that accelerates healing?" Aisha nodded, needing to go to Alpha for some herself. "I should be good by tomorrow morning. Just in time for class." He sat down carefully in the chair next to her.

"How's everyone else?"

Rocky sighed. "Billy's the best of us, only has a few minor scratches. He's all bandaged up." He scratched the back of his neck. "Tommy's leg and stomach had to be wrapped up, along with a big cup of the healing stuff." He shook his head. "Kim healed him while we were battling. It's a good thing she did… otherwise…" He didn't need to finish.

Aisha finished her drink, standing once she emptied her mug. "Rocky… how the fuck are you going to explain your bruises to your mom?"

He winced, knowing it wouldn't take long for his mom or his siblings to notice him walking funny. "No idea, 'Sha. Hopefully they'll be gone by the time I get home. Right now, I'm just concerned about Adam staying awake." The rangers had to wait for Adam to regain full consciousness before using their Ninjetti powers to heal him. The boy's fluctuating mental state made it difficult to heal him for quite a while.

Aisha rubbed her hands together in anxiety. "This is driving me insane," she said, pacing. "I want to check on them." Rocky looked at his longtime friend. The battle had freaked her out – they were very close to losing Tommy, Adam, and Kimberly in this last battle. He knew the thought of two of her best friends barely conscious in the Medical Bay was only increasing Aisha's anxiety.

Rocky got up, moving as quickly as he could to his best friend. Slowly, he grabbed her hands, holding them in his own as he rubbed the back of them gently with his thumbs. "They're going to be fine, Aisha."

She nodded, finding comfort in his touch. "I know that intellectually, Rocky… but I just…" She shook her head as he smiled at her.

"You need to see for yourself?" She nodded quickly.

"So go to them."

The two both jumped slightly at the new voice in the room. Tommy stood in the doorway, a white bandage covering his abdomen as well as one wrapped securely around his leg. The yellow and red rangers looked at him curiously. He gave a shrug. "Billy stitched me up. Wrapped me up good so I can't fuck it up."

He sighed, moving into the room to stand next to Aisha, moving an arm around her shoulder. "Go see them, 'Sha. I'm sure they'd be happy to see you. They're wide awake."

She looked at Rocky briefly before heading off to see their friends.

Rocky raised an eyebrow once Aisha left the room. "You left Kim's side?" It was made obvious by Tommy's presence before him, but it was still hard to believe.

Tommy moved to sit down. "I was doing more harm than good. Billy kicked me out." He looked sheepishly at Rocky. "Something about slowing down progress by hovering. They had me call my parents, let them know we were all okay over at my uncle's cabin." That was the cover the boys used for their time away. 'Spending time at the cabin' was code for 'Ranger mission.' The girls were 'staying at each other's house for the weekend,' knowing neither of their mothers would actually check, given how often they slept over at the other's home.

Rocky grunted. "_You? _Being in the way? Imagine that."

Tommy shot him a glare as Rocky lifted his hands in self-defense. Rocky stared at his friend for a moment, noticing the slant in his shoulders. His eyes were drooped, body language letting him know exactly how their leader was feeling.

"They're okay, Tommy." He saw his friend's jaw tighten. "Bro, this wasn't your fault."

Tommy shook his head. "I'm the leader, Rocky. Zordon put me in charge of you guys and I failed."

Rocky looked at his friend incredulously. "Last I checked, we're all alive; we kicked major ass yesterday in Greece, and we got the shard. If that's your definition of fail, you got issues, buddy."

Tommy turned to look at his friend, shaking his head. "Okay, Rocky," he said in a tone that screamed the exact opposite.

Rocky rolled his eyes. "Come on, Oliver, look at the bigger pic – "

Tommy snapped. "I said okay!"

Rocky flinched as if hit, nodding solemnly. "I'm going to check on Adam and Kimberly." He stood up, shoving his chair roughly under the table.

Tommy cursed himself, knowing he shouldn't have snapped at Rocky but not willing to apologize to his friend just yet.

"Dammit," he muttered, resting his elbows on the table, hands supporting his head. He closed his eyes.

_He could see Goldar standing over him, crazed, bloody. He could make out the long sword in the creature's hand as he fought Tommy. Tommy could still feel the chill of the blade against his skin, tearing the flesh across his stomach open. The coldness of the sword was strange in comparison to the warm blood that flowed from his wounds. He could feel the same tremor that went through his body as he screamed when Goldar slashed his leg open, pressing down on it forcefully and increasing the pain tenfold._

Tommy ran a shaky hand through his hair. He almost died today. He could've died at Goldar's hands if it hadn't been for her. Kimberly.

_Tommy let out a ragged breath as he remembered the sickening crack he heard when Kimberly fell to the ground after catching the shard. Even in the midst of the battle, the sound of her skull slamming against that stone was the loudest noise he'd ever heard in his life. He could still see the intent in Goldar's eyes, the sheer delight on his face at the prospect of running the pink ranger through with his sword. He remembered the panic that gripped his heart, the sudden flood of coldness in his veins._

He shook his head, trying to remove the image from his mind's eye.

_He then remembered Adam. The silent member of the team, and one of the best fighters he had ever seen. Seeing his friend's body flung across the cavern like a ragdoll, slamming into the wall with such force, made Tommy's chest hurt. Adam was always so strong, so capable, despite his shyness. So to see his body crumpled up, almost into a small ball… to see him lay there, lifeless, no sign of breathing or consciousness…_

Tommy's eyes snapped open, his heart heavy. He removed his hands from his face, arms lowering to the table as he continued to think about the day's events. The more he thought on it, the heavier the invisible weight on his shoulders became.

He was so consumed in his thoughts that he almost jumped out of his skin at the feel of hands on his shoulders. He tensed briefly before relaxing, feeling strong yet soft fingers running through his long hair.

"Hey handsome," he heard softly from behind him. Tommy reached up, grabbing the hand that rested on his shoulder. He intertwined their fingers, brushing the knuckles against his lips. Her hands felt soothing against his flesh, and he turned into her caress.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered against her hand.

Kimberly smiled sadly; her boyfriend was radiating guilt in waves. She grabbed the back of his chair, swinging him around on its wheels so that Tommy had to face her. He kept his head down, avoiding her gaze.

"Tommy," she said softly. He didn't respond. "Baby, look at me… please?" she asked.

Tommy slowly looked up at her, and the pain she saw in his brown eyes nearly floored her. She cupped his face in her hands, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

This was Tommy's undoing; he let out a choked sob, wrapping his large arms around her petite waist. He buried his face into her stomach, holding her tightly. He didn't cry, and she honestly didn't expect him to. Instead, he pressed himself as close to her as possible. He kept her stomach pressed against the side of his face, his eyes filled with unshed tears. She rubbed his back soothingly, making small circles between his shoulder blades.

They remained like this for a while, Tommy never once shedding a tear. When Kimberly felt his hold begin to loosen, she reached behind her, grabbing his hands. Gently, she tugged him out of his seat, pulling him to stand up so that he was once again towering over her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he slowly did the same to her. She buried her face into his chest, his chin resting on the top of her head.

"I love you," she breathed into his chest. He placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I love you, too. I was so scared when you took that fall. I couldn't handle it if something had happened to you."

She leaned back a bit, looking up into his face. Reaching up, she cupped his face in her hands. Kim stared into his eyes for a several seconds before pulling him down to meet her in a sweet kiss.

The contact between their lips ignited a fire in their bellies. The two generally longed for one another, but this fire… this one was different. It was more intense, stronger, overpowering. What was meant to be an innocent kiss between two teens quickly escalated into something more.

Tommy groaned as his mouth was invaded by Kimberly's tongue. He reached up, hands on her neck as he kissed her with more fervor. Kimberly gave a slight whimper, pressing her body closer into Tommy's. Her hands were splayed on his back, and she threw her head back as Tommy's lips trailed a kiss down her neck. She sighed his name as he suckled on a particularly sensitive spot.

Kimberly felt strange. She felt hot and cold at the same time, like icy fire was running through her veins. Tommy felt a similar sensation flooding his system. He pulled back from Kimberly's neck, once again attacking her lips. She whimpered softly before snaking her tongue into his mouth, dueling with his. Tommy grunted, feeling a searing fire in his head. Tommy felt himself losing control, his hands skimming down Kimberly's back, grabbing her ass and lifting her onto the table. Kimberly gasped into his mouth, pulling him closer as he pressed himself against her. She felt a hot fire deep in her belly, but not the one she was used to when kissing her boyfriend. This kiss was different than their other kisses. There was a roughness to this, a hunger that was never present before.

Tommy moved to Kimberly's neck, his teeth scraping against her pulse. Her hands felt hot all over his body, scorching his skin, and he groaned from the sensation. Tommy's attention to her neck was increasing the fire in her belly, and she was beginning to panic from the intensity.

Tommy moved to Kimberly's earlobe, taking it gently in his mouth. His hands reached down, grabbing her by the back of her knees and pressing her closer to him. Tommy felt a tightening in his chest, and the feeling was quickly going from pleasure to pain. Tommy could feel his body shaking, the intensity of the feeling overcoming him quickly. He moved to stop himself, but the more he fought against it, the more painful the sensation became. Kimberly was feeling a similar pain as she fought against the urge to go further with her boyfriend. Feeling his head moving down her body, she quickly grabbed his head, pressing his lips against her own. The contact caused a searing white light to shine behind their eyelids, shaking them from its intensity.

_Kimberly could see the two of them in her mind's eye: Tommy sitting down in his chair, her straddling him. She could feel his large hands running over her bare skin, his fingers dancing across her breasts. She could feel the firm grip of his hand on the ass, kneading it gently._

_Tommy could feel Kimberly grinding against his pelvis, his cock jumping in his pants. He could feel her short nails across his chest, scraping against his nipples. They could both feel his hand in hers, trailing down her body between her breasts, over her navel, under the waistband of her panties. They could feel his fingers sliding over her damp curls, spreading her open as his middle finger gave a hard flick against her – _

Kimberly's eyes snapped open as she pushed herself away from Tommy forcefully. He stood wide-eyed, staring wildly at his girlfriend. She was breathing just as hard as him, chests heaving to take in some much-needed oxygen. Kimberly placed a hand to her lips as Tommy stared down at his hands in disbelief, blinking rapidly.

They both were confused and highly aroused. Nothing happened beyond kissing, but in their minds… they went a lot further. Tommy could tell from the expression on Kimberly's face that she had the same vision he had a few moments ago… and was equally baffled.

"Kim," he began, licking his lips, "what just–" He was interrupted by the familiar six beep chime. Annoyed, Tommy answered. "We read you."

"Come to the main control room," responded Billy. Tommy looked at Kim, noticing the slightly glazed expression in her eyes. Her face was flushed, her lips swollen. He was sure he had a similar disheveled appearance.

Quickly, Kimberly turned, heading to the control room. Tommy waited a few seconds to compose himself before taking off after her.

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

Tommy entered the room, mindful that Kimberly stood on the other side of the room between Aisha and Billy. He opted to stand next to Adam on the end.

"You all right, bro?" he asked his friend.

Adam gave a small smile. "Yeah. My arm's good thanks to you guys." He moved his arm around in circles, showing it was healed. "My head is getting better. Got a big bump on the back, so it's a little tender." Tommy nodded. "How are you?"

Tommy shrugged. "I'm pretty good. Had a huge gash on my stomach and my leg. Kim tried to heal it in the cave but we didn't have time to fully heal it." He placed a hand on his abdomen. "Couldn't use the Ninjetti on my body a second time. My body couldn't handle the strain of so much power twice in such a short time frame. Billy had to stitch it up when we got back."

Adam grimaced at the idea of stitches. "I'm glad you're okay, man."

Tommy threw a smile at his friend. "You, too. We need our black ranger just as much as we need anyone else."

Adam's eyes held his genuine surprise at Tommy's words. "Thanks," he murmured. Tommy nodded, clapping him on the back.

"RANGERS." The teens looked up at their mentor in his energy tube.

"I WOULD ONCE AGAIN LIKE TO COMMEND YOU ON A JOB WELL DONE YESTERDAY ON YOUR MISSION. YOUR RETRIEVAL OF THE SHARD BRINGS US A STEP CLOSER TO ACHIEVING PEACE IN THE UNIVERSE."

He paused. "WE HAVE LOCATED ANOTHER SHARD. IT IS THE LAST REMAINING SHARD TO FIND IN THE GALAXY."

Tommy looked up at Zordon in confusion. "But Zordon, I thought you said there were two left to retrieve."

The Eltarian nodded. "THIS IS TRUE, WHITE RANGER. HOWEVER, ONE OF THE SHARDS WAS TAKEN TODAY BY GOLDAR."

The rangers gasped in surprise. Tommy's jaw clenched at the mention of Goldar's name. "Why didn't you tell us, Zordon? We could have gotten the shard before Goldar. That now puts three shards in Rita and Zedd's possession." He was trying to control his anger.

"YOU ALL WENT THROUGH A DIFFICULT BATTLE YESTERDAY, TOMMY. I WOULD RATHER YOU REST AND RECOVER YOUR STRENGTH INSTEAD OF FIGHTING."

Tommy growled lowly, conceding to Zordon's logic. The rangers were in no condition to fight anyone.

"THE LAST SHARD IS ON THE DISTANT PLANET OF PHAEDOS. I RECEIVED WORD FROM AN OLD FRIEND, DULCEA, MASTER WARRIOR OF THE PLANET. A BEING BY THE NAME OF GOLDGOYLE FOUND THE SHARD, RETRIEVING IT IN THE NAME OF HIS MASTER, DIVATOX. HOWEVER, UPON FINDING THE SHARD, HE HAS KEPT IT FOR HIMSELF AND IS NOW TERRORIZING THE CITIZENS OF PHAEDOS."

The rangers groaned.

"DULCEA HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE WARRIORS OF PHAEDOS CAN HOLD OFF GOLDGOYLE IN THE COMING DAYS. HE HAS A SIZEABLE ARMY, BUT THE PHAEDOSIAN WARRIORS ARE CONFIDENT HE CAN BE CONTAINED."

The teens perked up at the thought of not having to battle for a shard. If the warriors of Phaedos could defeat Goldgoyle, the mission would be a simple matter of retrieval.

"WHEN THE WARRIORS HAVE DEFEATED GOLDGOYLE, YOU WILL GO TO PHAEDOS AND RETRIEVE THE LAST SHARD. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WILL BE TRAVELING."

The rangers nodded, happy at the thought of having a few days off.

"Zordon," began Tommy, "is there any chance that the Phaedosian warriors can lose the battle?"

The being pondered the teen's question. "GOLDGOYLE IS KNOWN FOR BEING SOMEWHAT RUTHLESS, A MASTER STRATEGIST AND TACTICIAN. GIVEN THAT HIS ARMY WILL MOST LIKELY CONSIST OF PIRANHATRONS, HE SHOULD LOSE THIS FIGHT AS THE PHAEDOSIAN WARRIORS ARE SUPERIOR FIGHTERS. HE WOULD ONLY WIN IF HE RESORTS TO UNDERHANDED TRICKS. I DOUBT HE WILL, AS HE IS A TRUE WARRIOR AND HAS A CODE. HE WILL NOT DISHONOR HIMSELF BY FIGHTING DIRTY, DESPITE FIGHTING FOR THE SIDE OF EVIL."

Tommy nodded, reassured by his mentor's words.

"So I guess we have a break until further notice?" asked Rocky. Zordon nodded. "Cool. I'm heading to the kitchen. Wanna fix me a sandwich, 'Sha?" He threw his most charming smile at her.

Aisha cocked an eyebrow at the red ranger. "Last I checked you were bruised, not broken. Fix your own food, boy." She walked past him, ignoring his puppy dog look as he followed behind her.

Kim laughed. "Good to see some things never change." She looked at Tommy, who she could tell was purposefully ignoring her gaze. This would bother her normally, but this time she was somewhat relieved. She couldn't avoid him forever, but right now she just wanted to hold off on their impending conversation.

"Adam." He looked over at her. "Wanna play me in a game of pool?"

Adam grinned. "You think because my arm was broken that my skills somehow disappeared?"

Kim laughed. "If you're so sure you can still play, let's go for a few rounds." Adam shook his head, following the petite girl to the rec room.

Billy stood at the console, working with Alpha on the computer's mainframe.

"You all right, Tommy?" he asked, eyes never leaving the computer screen.

Tommy shrugged. "Not sure."

"IS SOMETHING WRONG, WHITE RANGER?" Tommy slightly jumped, forgetting his mentor's presence.

Tommy leaned against a pillar, saying nothing for a while. "What mystical powers do these shards have?"

Billy looked up at his friend's question before turning to look at their mentor.

"THE SHARDS COME FROM AN ANCIENT POWER, THE VERY FIRST SOURCE OF POWER IN THE UNIVERSE KNOWN AS THE IMANYD. THE IMANYD WAS SHATTERED CENTURIES AGO, AND THE SHARDS ARE THE REMAINS."

Tommy nodded, although Billy noticed Zordon did not really answer Tommy's question. "So whoever has the shard has the power?"

Zordon nodded.

"THE SHARDS ARE WHAT SERVE AS THE ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE RANGERS AND THE COMMAND CENTER. THE SHARDS ARE ALSO WHAT ALLOWED RITA, LORD ZEDD, KING MONDO, AND NOW GOLDGOYLE TO COME TO POWER."

Billy turned to Zordon. "Is that why we can't touch the shards?"

Zordon nodded again.

"But didn't you touch them to create the rangers, Zordon?"

He stared at the blue ranger before nodding. "WHOEVER TOUCHES THE SHARD IS EMPOWERED."

"So why can't we touch it?" Billy wondered.

"NOT ALL POWER IS GOOD." He left it at that.

"Tommy and Kim touched the shard we grabbed from Greece," said Billy softly. "They aren't running off trying to dominate the world."

"THE POWER WITHIN THE SHARD DOES NOT MAKE ONE GOOD OR EVIL. IT ONLY STRENGTHENS AN EXISTING QUALITY. TOMMY AND KIMBERLY WERE NOT IN DANGER OF BEING OF EVIL, SO EXPOSURE TO THE SHARD WOULD NOT PUSH THEM IN THAT DIRECTION."

Billy considered this, looking at his friend. "I understand. But it could have another effect?"

Zordon nodded hesitantly. "THIS IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY."

Tommy grew tired of hearing them talk about him as if he wasn't there. Rolling his eyes, he left the room, heading to the rec room… before changing his mind and turning to enter his quarters. He needed to sleep.

Billy pondered Zordon's words, mindful of Tommy's exit. "Should we be concerned of the possible effects of the shard on Kim and Tommy?" He didn't want to think about the possibility of fighting his friends in battle.

"THE EFFECTS OF THE SHARD ARE USUALLY IMMEDIATE. IF THEY HAVE NOT BEEN BEHAVING ABNORMALLY THUS FAR, IT IS LIKELY THAT THE SHARD ONLY ENHANCED A QUALITY THEY ALREADY POSSESSED."

Billy nodded. "I see." He turned back to the console, missing the look that was exchanged between Alpha and Zordon.

Zordon had been paying close attention to his white and pink rangers. Tommy and Kimberly did not appear to be on the verge of a murderous rampage, meaning the shard they touched did not possess brutality. That left two options: deceit or lust.

* * *

**Men's Quarters**

**Tommy's Room**

**Command Center**

Tommy lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He could not for the life of him go to sleep. His thoughts kept going back to her.

Kimberly.

Tommy loved his girlfriend of nearly three years. He and Kim had been going strong since freshman year, when she saw him competing in a martial arts competition at the Youth Center. He had been so nervous – the most beautiful girl he had ever seen was staring at him; it was a wonder he hadn't pissed himself out of nervousness.

He remembered the day she walked up to him at school, introducing herself. He already knew her name… every guy knew the name Kimberly Hart at Angel Grove High School. She was the most popular girl in school, the girl every guy wanted but knew they couldn't have. He wasn't expecting her to walk up to him, flash him an adorable smile, and invite him to hang out with her and her friends that afternoon. He could see the other guys in the Youth Center glaring at him, knowing it tore them up inside that she was touching his arm gently, smiling just at him.

Tommy had never had someone pay any attention to him. He was used to being left alone. No one bothered him and he never bothered anyone else. His routine was simple: eat, sleep, school, and practice. He had no friends, and he was okay with that. As long as he could practice his martial arts, Tommy was content.

It wasn't until he met Kim that he realized there was more to life than being content – he could be happy. Over their freshman year, Tommy grew to really like Kim. He realized that she was very sweet, giving, excitable… she had a wicked sense of humor and was fiercely loyal. She spoke her mind and was extremely intelligent, one of the smartest people he knew. She was very outgoing, doing everything from gymnastics to cheerleading to student government. It was no wonder people loved her.

Including him.

He thought back on the day when he realized he wanted to be more than just friends with Kimberly. They were walking along the lake, Tommy having just come back from spending Spring Break up at his uncle's cabin.

His grandfather had died, and Tommy had taken it very hard. His grandfather was very close to him, similar to each other in many ways. His grandfather was the one who put him on the path to study martial arts, having learned himself as a young man. Tommy had a bit of a bad boy streak as a child, and his grandfather knew that martial arts would give Tommy the discipline he needed. The loss of his grandfather shattered something deep within Tommy. He lost himself, cutting off ties with his friends as he chose to isolate himself from the world. Kimberly understood his pain, having a similar experience when she lost her aunt, and gave him the space he desired.

It was during his time away from Kim that he realized just how much she meant to him. The support she gave him throughout school as well as during the loss of his grandfather was invaluable, and it forced him to reflect on all that she meant to him. Being alone, Tommy was finally able to admit that his feelings for Kimberly were, in fact, real and very strong.

So he took a chance, asking her out to the spring dance. He almost swallowed his tongue in shock when she said yes, and in his happiness, he exuberantly kissed a pleasantly surprised Kimberly.

He smiled, thinking of the first time he kissed his girlfriend. Kissing Kimberly definitely ranked high on his list of favorite activities.

His smile shifted into a frown as he thought back on the kiss he shared with her in the rec room. He rubbed a hand against his chest.

Tommy usually felt a warm, happy feeling when he kissed Kimberly. It was the same rush he got from morphing, only more exhilarating. Holding her, feeling her lips against his, always made him feel like he was floating.

But _that_ kiss… Tommy ran a hand over his face. That kiss left them both reeling. It started out innocent enough. He and Kimberly had had passionate kisses, but none had ever felt so… overpowering. Tommy could remember the feeling of losing his self-control as their kiss became more and more passionate. He remembered the pain he felt in his chest as he attempted to reel himself in. It was a searing pain, like being burned from the inside. The more he tried to gain control over himself, the more painful it became; it was like his body was forcing him to give into his desires.

And that vision.

Tommy closed his eyes. He could still remember it vividly, the images racing across his mind. He and Kimberly had not had sex yet, though they had tried a few things in recent months. They both wanted to wait, flirting dangerously with the line every now and then before composing themselves. The vision he had, _they _had, was a shock… to say the least. He dreamt of being with Kim, and he was sure she had done the same, but nothing felt as real as that vision. Tommy swore he could feel her hands along his chest, nails scraping his skin. He could feel his hand touching her damp curls as his finger stroked her clit. From the look on Kim's face, he knew she could feel it as well.

Tommy shuddered, rolling over to sit upright on the edge of his bed. He ran a hand through his hair before locking his fingers together, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Fuck."

* * *

**Recreation Room**

**Command Center**

Billy walked into the rec room, sliding onto the couch next to Aisha. He let out a deep sigh, feeling much older than his seventeen years.

Rocky was relaying a story to Aisha, something about his younger siblings.

"So my mom grabs Antonio, right?" Rocky stood up, mimicking his mother grabbing his younger brother by the arm. "Lisa tries to run past her, but mom's too quick." He grabbed quickly at the air, as if catching something.

"She starts screaming at them in Spanish. And you know how my mom is…once you get her going…" He shook his head as Aisha laughed.

"She got those two good, I take it?"

Rocky grinned. "Hell, yeah. Those little punks always get away with crap around the house. Me and Xavier always get blamed since we're the oldest. But not this time!" He rubbed his hands with an evil grin. "They got what was coming to them."

"I would imagine. Flooding a house is a pretty serious thing to do." Aisha shook her head, amused by the DeSantos siblings. "They're going to get you back one day."

Rocky sighed, sitting back down. "Yeah, I know," he murmured worriedly. "And I've been gone all weekend. Who knows what those _cabróns_ have been up to since I left?" He shuddered at the thought. (bastards)

Aisha laughed before turning to her silent friend beside her. "Billy? You okay?" she asked, placing a comforting hand on his thigh.

Billy gave an involuntary jerk, not anticipating Aisha's touch. "Sorry," he blushed. "I'm good guys… just a little distracted." Aisha and Rocky shared a look.

"Yesterday was just… intense." Billy stared at his hands. He was never truly comfortable with taking a life. Given that Billy's older brother had been robbed and brutally murdered when Billy was a child; Billy never wanted to be responsible for another person's death. Being a ranger, however, he was constantly put in a position where he had to kill to defend himself.

All of the rangers had issues with taking a life, and they all rationalized it in one way or another in order to cope. It's in self-defense… the state of the universe is at stake… their enemies are not truly human… Whatever worked to allow them to fulfill their duty, they continued to believe in to make it day by day. During battle, the killing was easy; everything happened so fast. The adrenaline, the rush… it didn't even register at the time. But _after_… Billy shuddered.

He and the others practiced with their weapons routinely, learning new techniques and sharpening their skills should the need arise. When they first were recruited, the rangers always opted to use martial arts and other hand-to-hand techniques in battle, as the thought of killing someone was too much for them to handle. They were shocked at the weapons given to them, and the seriousness of being a ranger began to hit them more and more.

Billy was sixteen when he first killed someone in battle. He and the others had been rangers for several months, and they managed to get by without having to kill anyone. They would fight the monsters, weakening them so that they had to regroup. It was an established cycle: fight the enemy, weaken the enemy, live another day. Wash, rinse, repeat. It wasn't until the day they encountered Rita and Zedd did things change.

_Billy could still remember the battle vividly. The rangers were fighting Goldar for the first time, along with the Tengu warriors. They had never encountered an enemy as strong as Goldar, and the Tengu warriors possessed boundless energy. Attacking them with punches and kicks did not work; it only seemed to make them more aggressive. The Tengu were armed with swords. The teens were used to fighting putties, annoying little clay creatures that only required hitting them in the chest to defeat them. The Tengu were skilled and deadly. _

_He remembered the Tengu that swung at him, nearly decapitating the teen in a deadly swipe. Billy had been evading the Tengu for quite some time, and his strength was beginning to dissipate from the many flips and splits. Billy called on his broadswords… not to hurt the Tengu, but to help him deflect the blows. The sight of the blades seemed to excite the Tengu, and its fighting became more furious, wilder. Billy attempted to keep him away, but the Tengu kept coming at him, faster and faster._

_At one point, Billy was sure he was going to die. The Tengu was winding back for a blow to Billy's stomach, intent on gutting him. A surge of energy, a need to survive, shot through Billy like lightning. He remembered yelling "no" loudly as the Tengu came near. He blinked rapidly when he saw the end of his sword staring him in the face. The Tengu was stumbling back, eyes blinking in confusion at the blade in its body. It fell to the ground slowly on its side, staring Billy in the face. Billy remembered shaking, the adrenaline still in his veins, but now coupled with the feeling of overwhelming dread. He sat there, watching as the Tengu's breath got shallower and shallower, its eyes never leaving his face. He didn't realize when it had finally stopped breathing or when he started crying._

Aisha shook Billy hard, snapping him out of his reverie. She gave him a questioning look.

"I apologize. It appears my mind began to wander in the middle of our conversation."

Rocky only looked at him. Billy gave a small smile before his look became serious. He looked over to the other side of the rec room, watching as Kim and Adam played pool.

"I talked to Zordon." He paused. "I think he's keeping something from us."

Rocky perked up at this. "What do you mean?"

Billy watched Kim closely. "He said the shards we're collecting contain power, right?" They nodded. "And we've been getting these shards so that those who fight for Evil can't have that power."

He looked at them. "Zordon said that the shards somehow enhance existing qualities in whoever holds them." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Both Tommy and Kim were holding the shard we picked up in Greece."

Rocky looked over at the pink ranger. "You think she and Tommy are going to try and kill us now?"

Billy shook his head. "No, Zordon said the effect of the shard is immediate. If they were trying to kill us, they would have done it by now. Especially when everyone has their guard down."

Aisha nodded. "So this shard has enhanced something that Kim and Tommy already are?"

Billy nodded. "Affirmative."

Rocky made a face. "Well, what is it then?"

Billy paused before speaking. "I'm not sure. Neither has been acting unusual, but then again, it's only been a day since the battle."

Aisha sat back, running a hand over her face. "So basically, you're saying we should keep an eye on them?"

Billy nodded. "I don't think Kim and Tommy will become evil, but I am concerned about the possible effects this shard may have on them. It could possibly affect their duties as rangers or them personally." He gave a sigh. "Just keep a look out for anything… weird."

Rocky nodded. "All right, Billy. I'll tell Adam about this when he's free."

On the other side of the room, Adam grinned as he sank another striped ball into the side pocket.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "You know, I like you better when you're all shy and sweet. Cockiness is not becoming, Adam."

He laughed, walking around her to line up another shot. He leaned over, positioning himself to hit the ball into the corner pocket.

"And green is not your color, Kim. Don't be jealous I have skills," he stated before sinking another ball in. Adam moved back to look at the table. Two balls left and then the eight ball. The shot would be tricky.

She scowled at him before rolling her eyes. "How's your head?"

He gave a shrug, followed by a wince as he barely missed the shot - just by a few centimeters. "It'll heal." Kim nodded, bumping Adam out of the way with her hip as she ran to take her shot. Adam shook his head.

Kimberly flashed him a grin as she sank in not one, but three balls in one shot. She gave a loud whoop and Adam laughed, "Don't get cocky, Kimmie."

She grinned. Kimberly and Adam were very good friends, very much like siblings. They made an unlikely pair, but the two got along great. Kimberly was very outspoken, loving, and feisty. Adam was more reserved, only speaking when he felt absolutely necessary, and extremely sarcastic.

The two bonded during their Spring Break freshman year when Tommy took off to his uncle's cabin. Kim figured it was because initially Adam reminded her so much of Tommy that she gravitated towards him; both were quiet and strong. It was in spending time with him did Kimberly realize how different they were. Adam was gentle where Tommy was rough. Adam was shy whereas Tommy just preferred solitude, often misinterpreted as being shy. Tommy could be very hot-tempered and impulsive, whereas Adam was normally stoic and thought things through.

By spending time with him, she learned that she and Adam had a lot in common. Both came from broken families. Her parents were divorced, whereas Adam's dad was on his third wife. Both were estranged from a parent – for Kim, her father; for Adam, his mother. Both loved strawberry kiwi smoothies and played guitar. Both of them had fears of disappointing those that loved them, in failing to achieve their goals. Kimberly learned that Adam had been studying martial arts as long as she had been practicing gymnastics. She learned he had a wicked sense of humor, and he learned she was not nearly as confident as she appeared to others; she had her insecurities as well.

They considered each other family; he jokingly referred to her as his little big sister. She was fiercely protective of him, quick to defend him against those like Bulk and Skull at school. She gave him advice about girls, helping to calm his nerves when he would nearly lose it in front of a crush. Adam was always right after Tommy in line to pound some guy's face in who didn't understand to leave Kimberly alone when she didn't want to go out with him or that she was spoken for.

She smiled to herself thinking of her personal bodyguards. Even though she was more than capable of protecting herself, Tommy and Adam were adamant about protecting her. Rocky, Aisha and Billy were the same, but they were not nearly as overprotective as the white and black rangers. Tommy alone was enough to strike fear in anyone that even thought to bother her.

She sank another solid ball. Tommy.

A smirk played on her lips as she thought about her long-haired, muscular boyfriend.

Tommy Oliver was one of the best things to happen to the pink ranger. A certified hottie amongst the AGHS female population, Tommy was the definition of man. He was all things she could want in a best friend and a boyfriend – patient, brave, caring, modest, protective, understanding, respectful, loyal…passionate. Kimberly knew he wasn't perfect though. Tommy was impulsive, controlling, quick to anger, arrogant, opinionated...

Kim laughed to herself, lining up another shot.

From her description, it would seem Tommy was either two different people or suffered from bipolar disorder. But she knew her boyfriend, he possessed all those qualities. Tommy was like a storm. Beautiful, dangerous and exciting all at once. She loved everything about him, from the way he would hold her hand in public just to know she was near him to the cocky way he smiled at her when he knew he was about to defeat an opponent sparring. She loved the way he loved her – so intensely and with more passion than she would think an 18-year-old capable of. His feelings for her ran deep, and it scared her that she loved him just as strongly.

When they were recruited to be rangers, their innocent teenage relationship progressed much further than they had anticipated. Kim remembered the fear and exhilaration she felt at being selected by Zordon to be a ranger, and the ease she felt when she knew not only her friends, but her boyfriend as well, would be by her side.

Being a ranger made them closer than they had been before. It was one thing to go to school together, taking classes and hanging out after school. It was another to know your boyfriend saved your life by taking a knife wound meant for you; to know your boyfriend almost died in battle and that any given day could be your last time with him. It pushed them together, forcing them to share all of themselves with each other.

Well, not _all_ of themselves. There was one line Kim and Tommy had yet to cross.

Kimberly bit her lip, thinking back on that morning.

She and Tommy had discussed sex before. Although both truly desired each other, they just didn't feel they were ready for _that_ yet. She couldn't lie, though. The thought of making love to Tommy had crossed her mind a few hundred times. Kim was aware that Tommy was all male – all six feet, 180 pounds of him. She was aware of his toned physique, having been privy to every part of Tommy's body. The two had not taken the big leap yet, but they definitely had played around.

She clearly remembered the day her relationship with Tommy went from innocent to something more.

_Kimberly wiped away the sweat that had gathered on her forehead. She could feel the wetness on the back of her neck, her ponytail only supplying mild relief._

_She and Tommy were in his basement, practicing with their weapons. She wanted to improve her attacks with her sais, and Tommy was happy to help._

_Kimberly stood in pink sweatpants and a white sports bra. She had changed out of her day clothes, not wanting to feel gross later with them drenched in sweat. She watched as Tommy twirled her sais, watching as his mind worked to come up with different combinations for her to try. Her hands rested on her hips, covering the crane tattoo she got a month earlier. Along her hipline, the wings of the crane were slightly visible, the rest hidden by her pants._

_Tommy stood shirtless, gray sweatpants on as he attacked a nonexistent enemy. The falcon tattoo on his back contorted as he moved his arms, its wings flexing with his shoulder blades. Tommy did a series of quick punches and kicks, smiling when it came out how he envisioned. He repeated it a few times before turning to Kim. Handing her the sais, he stood beside her._

"_Okay, try this one." He repeated the move slowly, allowing her to copy his movements. Once Kim got it down, she repeated it at a faster pace. Tommy smiled when she executed it perfectly._

"_Nicely done, Beautiful." She blushed slightly at her boyfriend's praise._

_She motioned towards his bo staff resting against the wall. "Spar?"_

_Tommy raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Sure. You sure you're ready to get whooped?" Kim scoffed._

"_Just get the damn staff, flyboy."_

_Tommy grabbed the metal staff, twirling it around his body a few times._

_Kimberly let out a bored yawn. "You done?"_

_Rolling his eyes, he stood before her._

_The pair bowed to each other before beginning. Tommy began swinging his bo staff at Kimberly furiously, putting her on the defensive. She blocked his blows, keeping him from making contact with her body._

_Tommy growled. "Why are you letting me control the fight?" He took a swing at her which she ducked. "You're being forced to defend yourself. Take control of the fight, Kim."_

_She rolled her body around him, moving to kick him in the back. He stopped her kick with his staff, turning to strike her in the chest. She blocked again, taking a shot at his head which he evaded._

"_God dammit, stop trying to hit me and HIT ME!" he swung at her, hitting her with the staff in the ribs. Kimberly glared at him. Tommy moved in, swinging his bo staff low and making contact several times. Kim began to get irritated, and in her frustration, swung wildly at him._

_Tommy grabbed her arm, using her momentum to swirl her around, locking her to him with his staff._

"_Kim," he began, "don't let the enemy piss you off. Once you show you're angry, you've already lost." Her anger began to ebb as she listened to him. "You're short. That puts you at a disadvantage. You have to get closer to the enemy to strike because your limbs are shorter." He released her, turning her to face him. "They're going to underestimate you because of that. What you need to do is use that to your advantage."_

_He walked around her. "You're fast, Kim. Really fast. When you fight, concentrate on quick strikes." He began to move around her rapidly. "Use your feet. Run around them." He pointed to the back of her knee._

"_For most people, this is a point of weakness. Strike them hard here, and you can bring them down. The back of the thighs as well." He moved his hand to the small of her back, running his hand up and down her spine. "The spine is also a point of attack. Strike here."_

_Tommy moved to stand in front of her. "Because they're bigger, when they turn to grab or hit you, their momentum carries them further, knocks them off their balance." He demonstrated. "They'll use their full weight when they swing, and that makes it hard for them to slow down. Hit them while they're in the motion. Use their own body against them." She nodded in understanding._

_He stood before her. "Again."_

_Twenty minutes later, Tommy Oliver was flat on his back, staring up into the face of his girlfriend. She had her sais to his throat as she crouched over him, a sign that she won this round. Tommy dropped his bo staff, lifting his hands in surrender. Kimberly smiled, removing her weapons and placing them on the floor. She smiled happily._

_Tommy breathed heavily, looking at her strangely. "Good job, Kim." She grinned before placing her hands on his chest, preparing to get up. Tommy was quicker, grabbing her hands and yanking her down. Kim fell unceremoniously on top of her boyfriend, and before she knew it, he had grabbed the sides of her face, kissing her for all he was worth._

_Kimberly let out a moan as Tommy's tongue snaked into her mouth, dueling with her own. He rolled them over, resting his larger frame over hers, her thighs on either side of his abdomen. Tommy pulled her hair out of its ponytail, kissing her thoroughly and grinding himself against her. Kimberly arched into him, loving the delicious friction between their bodies. Normally, it would gross her out being sweaty and having her sweaty boyfriend on top of her, but today, she just really didn't give a damn._

_Kimberly's hand drifted down Tommy's chest, running across his six-pack before reaching the waistband of his sweatpants. She could feel his erection pressing into her stomach. He pulled back from her, his eyes hooded, eyes nearly black from desire. He looked down at her hand before looking back at her._

"_It's your call." Kimberly bit her lip. They've been in the situation many times, and she always backed out, scared of going further. But today…she felt a surge of boldness as she slipped her hand down, underneath the waistband of his boxers._

_Tommy's eyes nearly bugged out as he felt Kim's small hands grasp his cock. He blinked rapidly, the shock quickly wearing off as he felt pleasure as she firmly stroked him. Kimberly sat up, rolling them over so that Tommy was back on his back. She sat next to him, watching his face closely as she pumped him. Kim had no idea what the hell she was doing, but if her boyfriend's face was any indication, she must be doing something right._

_Tommy's eyes were fluttering closed, his mouth open partially as every nerve in his body was on fire. He felt hot all over, and without thinking, quickly lifted his butt up, pulling his pants and boxers down to mid-thigh. Kimberly's eyes widened significantly at seeing her boyfriend's penis. Tommy was a big boy, a really big boy. She moved closer, taking a closer look at his cock. It was thick and long, reddish with veins protruding. He shot out a hand, grabbing hers to direct her on how to stroke – base to tip._

_His face looked pained when she began to follow his motions. "Are you okay?" He managed to look at her. Tommy nodded vigorously, a groan escaping him._

"_Fuck, that's amazing." He began to thrust his hips against her hand, increasing the speed of her strokes. Getting the idea, Kimberly pumped him faster, watching as he clenched his fist tightly, the knuckles turning. She now realized the look of pain on his face was one of indescribable pleasure._

"_Kim…" He was out of breath. "Fuck! I'm gonna… ughhh…" Tommy's body convulsed as his orgasm rushed over him. Kimberly watched as Tommy's cum spilled forth, the white liquid spurting out in sudden bursts. She pumped him until his hips stopped moving, removing her hand as she watched him catch his breath. Watching her boyfriend orgasm had to be the sexiest thing Kimberly had ever seen in her life. And the fact that she was responsible for him having the orgasm…_

_Tommy finally looked over at Kim once his breathing slowed. She looked nervous… and aroused. Tommy sat up slowly, pulling his pants and underwear back up to his hips. He leaned over to her, kissing her briefly. "Thank you." Kimberly nodded._

_Tommy eyed her for a few seconds. "I'd like to return the favor." Why did his voice sound extremely sexy to her?_

_Before losing her nerve, Kimberly nodded her head. "Lie down."_

_Kimberly lay back on the floor, not sure what would be happening next. Tommy got up, grabbing some paper towels off the nearby table to clean up the mess. He moved over to Kimberly once he was done._

_Straddling her he kissed her softly, running his hands over her stomach. Kimberly moaned, barely noticing him rubbing her breasts through her bra. Tommy moved down her body, kissing her stomach. He kissed his way up, rolling her bra over her breasts. Kimberly let out a shuddering breath as she felt his hands kneading her breasts, tugging firmly at her nipples. He rolled her bra up her body, and she lifted up, allowing him to take it off entirely. Tommy leaned back, looking at her with a smile before he moved quickly, latching onto her right nipple._

_Kimberly jerked at the feel of his mouth on her. She gave a loud sigh as he suckled on her breast, using his left hand to massage the other. Kimberly closed her eyes, loving the attention Tommy paid to her chest. It was strange to have him touch her breasts with no barrier. They had done some heavy petting before with clothes on, and this was a welcome change. Tommy moved to her left breast, massaging the right as he paid special attention to her nipple. She moaned softly as she felt a pressure building at the base of her stomach._

_While Tommy's mouth paid attention to Kim's breast, his right hand skimmed down her body to the waistband of her clothes. Tommy pulled away from her breast, checking if she still wanted to go through with it. She bit her lip, nodding before closing her eyes as his hand went lower. _

_Tommy was nervous as hell. He was going half on instinct, half on what he had seen from the pornos Rocky let him borrow. His hand skimmed between her thighs, brushing over damp curls. Tommy's fingers slipped, rubbing against her clit. Kimberly gave a startled moan, thighs widening on their own._

_Seeing her response, Tommy repeated the motion, and Kim gave another low moan in response. Tommy smiled, knowing he'd found her clit. With purpose, Tommy began to rub her in earnest, causing Kimberly to cry out loudly. Her hips began to jerk in earnest, and Tommy was having difficulty maintaining contact with the small bud. At one point, Kimberly jerked so hard his hand slipped lower, and slightly slipped inside of her._

"_Ohhh," she moaned softly. Tommy froze, unsure of what to do. Curiously, he pushed his finger in further, groaning at the tightness and heat surrounding his middle finger. Kim bit her lip, her body growing accustom to the finger inside of her. Seeing her relax, Tommy began to move his finger slowly in and out. Kim let out a low groan, moving her hips to ride his finger. Feeling her loosen up, Tommy slipped his ring finger inside as well. He moved his hand faster, spurred on by the increased wetness he felt around his fingers. _

_Tommy used his other hand to pull her pants and underwear down. "Oh wow," he breathed. Kimberly was dripping wet, and it was hot as hell to watch her ride his hand in earnest. Tommy guessed from her movements she was close to orgasm. Using his thumb, Tommy began to rub her clit in hard circles._

_Kim arched off the floor, she felt as if she would explode. Tommy kept on, loving the breathy moans and now whimpers coming from his girlfriend. He saw the look of pure pleasure on her face, and his chest swelled knowing he was responsible for it._

"_T-Tommy," she groaned, hips jerking wildly, "it's too much." Her face was scrunched up._

"_No, baby, you're so close," he responded, fingering her faster. He flicked her clit harder, and she arched her back sharply._

_Kim let out a scream, so loud it made Tommy grateful that his parents were not home. She clenched around his fingers tightly, sobbing his name as she rode out a powerful orgasm. He kept fingering her, not letting up until her convulsions finally stopped._

_Pulling his fingers out, Tommy brushed his finger against her tender clit quickly. She moaned in response, shaking her head lazily. Tommy grinned, leaning forward to kiss her softly on the lips._

"_You enjoy yourself?" Kim nodded, her chest still heaving. She wouldn't attempt to speak anytime soon._

"_Good."_

Kimberly smiled wickedly to herself as the memory faded. Tommy always said he was skilled with his hands.

A frown graced her face as she then thought back on their encounter today.

While Kimberly normally enjoyed any opportunity she had to kiss her boyfriend, this morning scared the shit out of her. It started out normal as usual. She and Tommy could get extremely passionate in their kissing.

But this was different.

She couldn't control herself, literally. And when she did try, she felt such a burning pain. Kimberly had been almost certain that she was in the process of dying. She had never experienced anything like it.

And that vision.

Kim stood back as she watched Adam take his shot, not focused on the game at all. She could _feel_ Tommy on her in that vision. His breath, his hands… everything was too real.

"Kim?" She jumped slightly at Adam's hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, confused.

"It's your shot, pinkie," he said, giving her a look of concern. Kim put on her brightest smile, moving to the table.

Leaning over the table, Kimberly lined up her shot. She pulled back on the stick, preparing to strike when a blinding light struck in her head.

_Kimberly was bent over the pool table, Tommy standing behind her. His hands were running up and down her spine. She felt his hands tuck into the corner of her sweatpants before he yanked them over her hips, down her slim thighs. He grabbed at her round ass, and she moaned at the sensation. Tommy leaned over her, kissing her neck softly as he yanked down his own sweatpants in earnest. He pulled his boxers down far enough for his cock to slip out. Leaning back, Tommy stroked his cock a few times in anticipation, and Kimberly widened her stance. Stepping closer, Tommy guided himself inside her, pushing the tip in before sinking in balls deep. They both groaned at the sensation, loving the feel of him inside her. Pulling back, Tommy pulled out until only the tip was inside. He grabbed her hips before snapping his hips forward roughly, pulling a loud cry from Kim's throat._

Kimberly's body lurched forward, her momentum throwing off her shot as she scratched the table with the stick. Adam looked at her strangely. The others in the room looked over at the noise.

Adam moved to his friend. "Kim, what's wrong?" She stared at him, confused. "You just screamed and made that horrible shot just now after you jumped." Kimberly's eyes widened.

"Oh God," she whispered, putting the stick down. She stared at the table for a while before running a hand through her hair.

"I-I gotta go," she mumbled quickly before running off and out of the rec room.

Rocky, Aisha, and Billy looked at each other.

That _definitely_ qualified as weird.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the feedback :). Here's the next chapter. Let me know what you think. And just a heads up: this chapter is rated M for a reason..._

* * *

**Hallway**

**Angel Grove High School**

**Thursday, 12:23 PM**

Tommy Oliver sat in the cafeteria annoyed as hell.

Kimberly was avoiding him.

Ever since they got back from the Command Center, Kimberly had been avoiding Tommy like the plague. He understood her avoidance on Sunday, and maybe even a little bit on Monday. Tuesday was excessive, and Wednesday was absurd.

Now it was Thursday, and Tommy had lost his patience.

He was sitting at the lunch table with Billy and a few other guys from the football team. No one said anything, but they could all tell Tommy was about to explode. Tommy usually sat with the guys maybe once a week. He usually spent lunch with the other rangers.

With Kim.

This week found Tommy eating lunch with the football team every day.

Everyone at AGHS knew Tommy and Kim were inseparable. They had been together since freshman year. So of course it spread like wildfire that the quarterback of the football team and the co-captain of the cheerleading squad were no longer together.

Tommy had been getting looks from girls all week. Meredith Johnson, the other co-captain of the cheer squad, had strolled up to Tommy every morning this week. She would throw her hair back over her shoulder, bat her long eyelashes, and place a comforting hand on his arm to show her sympathy.

Too bad he was staring a hole into Kim the entire time and didn't even notice.

The other rangers said nothing but quickly picked up on the tension between their friends. Kimberly refused to say anything to Aisha or Adam, and Tommy was too moody for anyone to approach him.

Tommy gritted his teeth as he watched Kimberly sit down at the table on the other side of cafeteria with Aisha and Adam. Aisha caught Tommy's look, nudging Kimberly in the shoulder. Aisha mumbled something to Kim, who simply nodded and kept looking down. Adam had a look of concern on his face, and he looked over to Tommy, shrugging to show his confusion.

Tommy felt like pulling out his hair. He had called Kimberly at least forty times, to the point where Ms. Hart had to tell the boy to stop. Kimberly instructed her to tell Tommy she wasn't home, but the teen knew better.

Every time he would try and catch her in the hallway, Kim would duck out, running into the women's bathroom. She changed seats in class, putting as much distance between herself and Tommy.

Tommy's eyes narrowed as he saw Jacob Donaldson and his wrestling team buddies stroll up to Kimberly. She briefly looked up at him, giving a small smile before turning back to her conversation with Aisha. Jacob looked over at his friends before tapping Kim on the shoulder, giving Kim what he thought was a dazzling smile.

Billy nudged Tommy in the ribs. "You need to relax," he hissed, noticing how Tommy's fist was deforming the lunch tray.

"He's hitting on my girlfriend, Billy," he grunted out. Billy sighed, understanding his friend's position. While Tommy was overreacting, he had to admit Jacob had to be stupid to try and talk to Kim with Tommy anywhere nearby.

Billy gave a sigh of relief when he saw Adam step in, looking as if he would break Jacob's jaw. Adam was not normally a threatening person, but when he wanted to be, the boy succeeded with flying colors. Donaldson held up his hands, and Kim squeezed Adam's arm for him to back down. Seeing this, Jacob smiled, putting his hand around Kim's shoulders in thanks.

"Fuck it."

Tommy stood up, his entire stance screaming his irritation. Donaldson's eyes widened, as he and his friends scurried to sit down. Tommy still headed over to Kim's table. Seeing him, Kimberly quickly packed up her things, rushing to get out of the cafeteria. She quickly snuck through the doors and back into the hallways.

Growling, Tommy chased after her. He was not letting her run away this time. He burst through the doors, looking to his right and seeing Kim's pink backpack run around the corner. Tommy took off, running full speed after her. He saw where she was headed – a women's bathroom was at the end of the hall.

Tommy began to sprint. He'd be damned if she got away again.

Kimberly could hear Tommy's footsteps behind her. He was getting closer and closer, and she was so close to the women's bathroom. Just a little further…

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no," Tommy whispered as he reached her, wrapping an arm around her waist and picking her up. Kimberly started kicking at his legs, and he groaned as her foot connected with his shin.

"God DAMMIT, Kimberly!" he shouted, cursing from the shooting pain. He grabbed her flailing arms with another hand, holding her close to him. She began screaming in the hallway, wanting someone to see her struggling to get away from him. Tommy ignored her looking around for a room to talk in. Seeing the janitor's closet, he dragged her over.

Adam, Aisha, and Billy rounded the corner, hearing Kimberly's shouts. They saw Tommy dragging her to a door.

"What the hell?" Aisha asked in confusion.

Kimberly stopped hollering, twisting to face her friend. "Aisha! Oh my god! Adam! Billy!" she yelled to them. "Please help me, Tommy won't let me go! Please get him off of me!" The three friends looked at each other, not sure what to do.

Tommy glared at Kim before looking at them. "Ignore her." Kim shook her head in protest. He continued, "Look, Kim and I have some shit to work out. I'm getting to the bottom of this. Try and stop me." His tone indicated he would fight like hell if they attempted to take Kim from him.

The trio looked at each other. "I'll come up with something to explain their disappearance," said Billy after a while. Kim's eyes widened.

"Oh my fucking God! You're on HIS side? Fuck you!" She began fighting violently against Tommy. He grabbed the door handle, backing them inside the room.

"Wait until I get free. I'm going to fucking kill every single one of y–" The door slammed shut.

Adam closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. He hoped they worked out their issues. And soon.

* * *

**Janitor's Closet**

**Angel Grove High School**

Tommy set Kimberly down in the closet, reaching behind him to lock the door. She tried to move around him, but he moved with her, blocking her way out. The only light in the small room was the light shining through the window on the door.

Kimberly moved away from him, a difficult task given the small space they were confined in.

"What's your problem, Kim?" he asked gruffly. She wouldn't look at him, instead staring at the floor.

He eyed her for a while. "Do you hate me?" Her head snapped up, her eyes searching his. She shook her head.

"Do you love me?" She looked away from him again, crossing her hands over her chest. She nodded slightly.

He sighed, relieved that she still loved him. "Then what's wrong? Why are you avoiding me?"

She looked at him. "Lately, I-" She paused. "Something's happening, Tommy." Her voice was soft, timid. "You remember that vision… the one we both had?"

Tommy's eyes widened before he nodded. They were finally going to talk about it. "I've had more of them, Tommy." He tensed up.

Kimberly ran a hand through her hair. "They've been feeling so real…" She leaned against the small bench to her right. "They feel so intense… too intense… I can't tell what's real anymore."

He looked at her, moving to lean on the bench next to her. "I've been having them, too," he murmured. She looked up at him. "One on the pool table… in the youth center… at the p–"

"Park. Our spot by the lake," she finished, her eyes squinting in confusion. They had been having the same dreams.

Tommy nodded.

"When I see you… I see the dreams…" she looked back down at the floor. "They're increasing in frequency, Tommy. Every night. I see us."

He sighed. "That's why you've been avoiding me." It wasn't a question.

She nodded. "Yeah," she whispered. They sat in silence for a while.

"I think… I think it's the shard," Tommy stated. Kim looked at him. "These dreams only started after our mission to Greece. But we've been on missions before, you know? This time was different though. We touched the shard."

Kim considered his words. "Zordon always advised that we don't touch them," she said worriedly.

Tommy stood. "Then we need to talk to him. After class. We need to get to the bottom of this." Kim gave a half smile.

"Kinda awkward to talk to Zordon about, but you're probably right." He moved to her, standing so his legs brushed against hers.

"We'll figure this out, Beautiful." He reached a hand up brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you," he whispered.

She smiled up at him. "I love you, too."

Grinning, Tommy leaned forward, cupping her face and pressing his lips gently against hers.

He pulled back, looking at her, his eyes now smoldering. Kimberly looked drugged, running her tongue over her lips in anticipation. They felt that same burning desire that they felt in the rec room coursing through their bodies.

Hungrily, Tommy leaned in again, kissing her with a fierceness that shook Kimberly to her core. She moaned into his mouth, running her hands under his t-shirt. Tommy's hands were busy as well, scooping Kimberly up and walking her to the wall.

They both had that familiar icy hotness in their veins, the same pleasure in the core of their bodies. Kimberly grunted as Tommy pressed her against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist. He kissed her along her neck, grinding himself against her intimately.

Kimberly pulled his shirt off of him, running her hands along his chest. She leaned forward to give him a burning kiss, leaving Tommy in a daze. Tommy reached under her skirt, yanking her panties down to her knees. Tommy looked up at her, kissing her thoroughly. In the midst of their kiss, a blinding light hit them again.

_Kimberly moaned as Tommy kissed down her body, his mouth hot and wet against her skin. He nipped softly at her nipples through her halter top, lips descending lower to kiss on her exposed midriff. His tongue played with her bellybutton, making her squirm in his grasp. Tommy held Kimberly up with his hands, dropping to his knees as his head appeared between her thighs. He kissed the inside of her thighs, using his tongue to give a long lick from mid-thigh to her pelvis. Kimberly could feel herself getting wetter as his tongue got closer to her heat._

_Tommy rested her securely on his shoulders, his hands locked tightly around her thighs. Tommy leaned forward, giving a long lick up her slit. Kimberly fisted Tommy's shirt in her hands, arching closer to his tongue. Tommy licked her in earnest, tongue entering her as she ground into his face. Kimberly's eyes rolled into the back of her head, the pleasure between her thighs growing stronger with each stroke of his tongue. Tommy eventually pulled his tongue out, replacing it with his fingers as he began to piston her at a maddening pace. Kimberly let out a loud moan, grabbing Tommy's shirt and shoving it into her mouth to quell her screams. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as Tommy began sucking on her clit in earnest, causing her to buck wildly on his face. She began to shiver, hand tangled in his long locks. She could feel her impending orgasm and began to get tunnel vision on the light shining through the window opposite her. All noise began to fade away and Kimberly could feel her face contort in pleasure as Tommy continued to lap at her with his unrelenting tongue._

Kimberly snapped forward, the vision coming to an end. Her head immediately flew backwards, however, as she realized that Tommy was indeed going down on her in the janitor's closet at school.

Shocked beyond belief, Kimberly let out a surprised squeal as a powerful climax ripped through her from his ministrations. She arched violently against him, hips trying to escape his hot mouth. Tommy's grip on her hip tightened, and he increased the strokes of his tongue and the suction from his mouth over her swollen clit. Kimberly writhed against the wall, the intensity of her orgasm almost too much as tears sprang to her eyes. Her screams were muffled in Tommy's shirt, and she quit trying to fight against him, allowing him to drink his fill as she shivered.

Tommy slowed down his licks, pulling away from Kimberly once her convulsions stopped. Holding her thighs, he backed away from her, resting back on his legs. He lowered her down slowly, mindful of how she sagged against the wall. Tommy licked around his mouth experimentally, as if checking if what just happened actually happened. He and Kim had talked about oral sex before, but never had they engaged in it.

"Kim?" he asked softly. She was breathing heavily, face covered by her hair. Shakily, she moved forward, shifting to pull her panties back up. Tommy looked at her questioningly as she lifted her leg, moving to sit on the floor with her legs closed. Tommy picked up his shirt off the floor, shrugging it on as he sat next to her.

They sat in silence for a while, unsure of what to say to each other. Tommy was nervous, unsure of Kim's reaction. She brushed a hand through her hair, allowing him to clearly see her face.

"Tommy…" she breathed. He turned to look at her. "That was absolutely amazing." He raised his eyebrows in shock. "I didn't know you could do that."

He shrugged. "I didn't know I could either. I've always wanted to but I mean… we never…" He trailed off.

She nodded, moving to hold his hand. He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Did you have a vision, too?" she asked. Tommy nodded.

"I didn't… I can't explain it, Kim. I thought it wasn't real. They were never real before, you know? Why would this one be any different?" She nodded. She hadn't realized it wasn't a vision either until she was coming.

"Tommy, this is bad." He couldn't disagree. "It's one thing to have dreams or visions or whatever we want to call it. It's another to act on them without recognizing it."

"You want to see Zordon now?"

Kim made a face. "I don't really see any other choice, Tommy. Today just proved that –"

The familiar six beep chime made both teenagers groan. Kim rolled her eyes in annoyance as Tommy answered.

"We read you."

"Tommy, you and Kimberly must teleport to the Command Center. It's urgent," replied Alpha in a worried tone.

He looked over at his girlfriend, grabbing her hand as they both stood up.

"We're on our way, Alpha."

Two lights of pink and white flashed before the teens were no longer in the room.

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

Tommy and Kimberly landed, their friends already there. Rocky threw them a curious glance, wondering about their disheveled appearance. He was about to ask when Aisha's foot slammed down on his painfully. Rocky gave a loud cry, turning to yell at his friend. He was cut off, however, by Zordon.

"RANGERS, I HAVE JUST RECEIVED AN URGENT REPORT FROM DULCEA OF PHAEDOS. YOUR PRESENCE IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY ON THE PLANET."

Aisha cocked her head. "I thought the Phaedosian warriors could handle the threat there."

"UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE OCCURRED."

Tommy sighed in frustration. "We can't leave right now, Zordon. We have one more period left of school, and all six of us missing at once would raise suspicion."

Billy nodded. "He's right. We have to hope the Phaedosians can hold out for the next hour and a half."

Zordon nodded. "I UNDERSTAND, RANGERS. CONTACT ALPHA WHEN YOU ARE READY AND WE WILL TELEPORT YOU TO PHAEDOS AT ONCE."

Kimberly gave Tommy a knowing look. He knew they needed to talk to Zordon, but it would have to wait.

The rangers nodded before teleporting back to AGHS.

* * *

**Nahari Beach**

**Phaedos**

**3:45 PM, Angel Grove Time**

The six teens materialized in their robes on the planet Phaedos, looking around in wonder at the rocky planet. The planet was eerily quiet. Alpha had described Phaedos as a lively planet. This place was anything but.

"Do you guys see or hear anything?" asked Adam. Kimberly and Tommy tried to use their acute hearing, but wind and waves crashing on the shore made it hard to discern anything.

Billy grimaced. "Oh God," he moaned softly. The rangers looked at him. "I smell blood."

Rocky clenched his jaw. "Same." He looked around before pointing to the left of them. "It's coming from over there." He moved quickly, the others scrambling to follow him.

The closer they got, the paler Billy became. They climbed a mountain of rocks and could faintly hear the clash of swords on the other side.

Adam was the first to make it to the top, and he quickly fell to his knees. "Oh God…" he groaned before he emptied the contents of his stomach before him.

Aisha's eyes widened. "Adam, what the hell?" She and the other made it to the top, and they saw what made their comrade have such a strong reaction.

Before them was a stretch of land, at least ten acres, littered with dead bodies. The ground was maroon, unlike the white sand they landed on.

It was drenched in blood.

Tommy stared in horror at the destruction around him. There were thousands of dead Piranhatrons on the ground, many with an ax, arrow, or sword protruding from their body. There were masked warriors on the ground as well. Tommy suspected they were Phaedosian warriors. They looked human, cloaked in green outfits. Many had slashed throats or either a hammer or spear in their forms. Several scorch marks were on the ground, which Tommy could only guess came from the energy-blasting gauntlets of the Piranhatrons. The stench of death was heavy in the air.

Rocky peered out at the land before him, his body filled with immense sorrow. His eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of something in the distance. Numbly, Rocky moved towards the object.

The other rangers watched their friend as he stumbled forward, dropping to his knees next to a body. They looked at each other before moving to stand beside Rocky, horrified by what they saw.

Rocky DeSantos was trembling by the time they reached him, his entire body rigid. Next to Rocky was the body of a small child; he could not have been more than six years old. His neck was broken, and a knife protruded from his leg at an awkward angle, green eyes staring blankly at nothing. Rocky looked around him, finding several more children on the ground dead.

He stood up slowly, looking at hundreds of dead people on the ground. From their clothing, it was assumed they were civilians. Their clothes were not meant for war, their bodies not toned like the Phaedosians a few feet away.

Innocent people were slaughtered here. The thought made Rocky's blood boil.

He closed his eyes, lifting the cross around his neck and pressing it to his lips for a few seconds. He whispered several prayers, hoping the souls of the innocent would be saved as they passed on.

Clapping from behind them made the rangers turn. A hideous creature was looking at them, covered in spikes and wearing a sadistic grin.

"That was truly heartwarming, young man," he placed a hand to his eye, wiping away a fake tear. "Riveting."

Rocky growled. "You're a sick fuck."

The creature laughed loudly. "And you're a pathetic excuse for a warrior," he sneered. "If you're going to snivel and cry over a bunch of weaklings like those, maybe you'd like to join them."

Rocky's eyes flashed red as he moved towards the creature.

"You dare to challenge Goldgoyle?" The creature flashed his teeth. "I'm sure my sword won't have a problem spilling your blood, earthling."

Tommy stood before Rocky, blocking Goldgoyle from his view. "You have something we want."

Goldgoyle looked confused before smiling widely. Reaching behind him, he pulled out the tiny shard.

"Oh you mean this old thing? I don't think so… I actually kind of like it. Looks good with the outfit, no?" He chortled, tucking the small shard back behind him.

"Where's Dulcea?" questioned Adam. The warrior had sent word for them, but they had yet to see her.

Goldgoyle tapped his chin. "Dulcea… Dulcea… doesn't ring a bell…" He shrugged, turning to walk away before snapping his finger. "Oh, you mean that harlot with the stick? The 'Master Warrior'?" He walked around, lifting up an object from behind the boulder he was sitting on.

Tommy felt his stomach drop at the sight. In Goldgoyle's hand was a severed head. A woman's head.

"I wanted to take a piece of her with me… to remember the good times." He smiled wickedly. "But if you want her that badly, I'm sure I could get each of you something… a leg, an arm… maybe you're after her heart?" He laughed, highly amused by himself.

Tommy heard a loud roar behind him. Rocky was standing there, enraged. His eyes were red; he was tapping into the full power of the ape.

"Come get me," said Goldgoyle.

Rocky leapt out from behind Tommy, katana in hand. He began slashing wildly at the being, who simply laughed at the boy's antics.

"Is that the best you got, ranger?" Rocky glared, attacked Goldgoyle with everything in him.

Tommy summoned his bo staff. "We have to take him all at once. Rocky's too angry to fight him effectively." The others nodded, calling on their own weapons. They all rushed him, hoping to overpower Goldgoyle.

Goldgoyle laughed. "Six children dare to take me on?" He rolled, grabbing a sword off the ground. "You will regret this, rangers."

Goldgoyle managed to hold off the six rangers, his energy seemingly endless. Adam and Billy ran full speed at Goldgoyle sideways, attempting to overtake him. In mid-jump, Goldgoyle reached out, grabbing Billy by his foot and swinging him around into Adam. The two collided painfully, falling to the ground in a thud.

Goldgoyle cackled. "Who's next?" Kimberly ran over to the boys, checking them for any serious injuries.

Aisha and Rocky fought off Goldgoyle, keeping him at bay for the time. Goldgoyle slashed Rocky across the torso deeply, sending the red ranger to the ground.

He turned his attention back to Aisha. "Come, little bear. Let's see how quickly I can break you." Tommy stood behind Goldgoyle, preparing to strike him with his bo staff on the spine. Tommy ran forward, moving to swing when a blinding light hit him.

_Tommy laid Kimberly down on the bed, tongue gliding over her breasts as she writhed beneath him. He smiled before moving his head to kiss on her neck._

Aisha watched as Tommy stood behind Goldgoyle, unmoving. She grunted as his blows became more powerful. "Tommy, hurry up," she groaned as Goldgoyle delivered a vicious punch to her stomach.

_Tommy lifted Kimberly to him, kissing her thoroughly as a hand snaked down between her thighs._

Rocky lifted his head painfully, watching as Aisha dropped to her knees. Goldgoyle stood before her, lifting her up with a hand wrapped around her throat. He sat up slowly, watching helplessly as Aisha was lifted in the air. He looked at Tommy, who appeared to be frozen.

_Tommy yanked his boxers down his hips, easing himself into Kimberly's wet heat. She shuddered beneath him in ecstasy._

"TOMMY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" Rocky asked in a wild panic. Aisha was being strangled before his eyes, and Tommy was doing nothing.

_Kimberly groaned as Tommy hit a particularly delicious spot, her toes curling as her nails scraped against his back. She gave a squeal as he began to pump harder, the bed squeaking loudly under his thrusts. They were so close to achieving a glorious climax._

"I could squeeze the very life right out of you," whispered Goldgoyle. He pulled the butterfly knife out of her hand. "But that would just take too long." Quickly, he shoved the knife into Aisha's chest, throwing her down onto the ground. He laughed maniacally, chest swelling at killing one of the Power Rangers.

Rocky let out a horrified scream as he saw his friend's body drop to the ground. His scream jolted Tommy out of his dream, and he freaked when he saw his friend on the ground, her own knife sticking from her chest.

Rocky jumped up, ignoring the pain in his body, running full speed at Goldgoyle, as he shoved his katana through his body. The being flew backwards, Rocky's momentum sending them both to the ground.

Rocky grabbed a stone near where they lay, striking Goldgoyle repeatedly in the face. He was crying hard, but he had no intention of letting up. It wasn't until he felt someone knock him off of the now dead a dn horribly disfigured Goldgoyle's body did he realize what he had done.

Rocky lay on his back, hand holding a stone that was now red. His hands were trembling, and he threw down the stone. His hands were covered in blood. He looked over to see who pulled him off of Goldgoyle and became enraged when he saw it was Tommy.

Angrily, Rocky climbed on top of the white ranger, punching him repeatedly in his anguish, screaming that he hated him. Tommy was caught off guard, allowing Rocky to hit him several times before he flipped them over, pinning his friend down.

"You let him KILL her!" he screamed at Tommy.

Tommy shook his head. "She's not dead, Rocky," he muttered. He was sure his jaw was broken. Rocky shot him a confused look before looking over at Aisha. She was groaning softly.

"I healed her. He didn't hit her heart."

Rocky nodded shakily before Tommy released him. He shoved Tommy off of him, still pissed. "At least you did something right," he muttered in disgust before rushing to Aisha. Tommy fell back with a heavy heart, willing himself not to let his emotions get the best of him.

The other rangers ran over to check on Aisha, who was adamant that she was fine. "Tommy healed me. It's all good."

Rocky scowled. "Tommy's the reason you got stabbed in the first place." Kim, Billy, and Adam gave him a questioning look.

"Rocky, leave it alone. I'm fine," Aisha hissed.

"Hell no! He's our fucking leader," Rocky growled, strolling over to Tommy. "What the hell happened out there, Tommy?"

Tommy shot a quick glance at Kimberly before muttering, "I don't know."

Rocky gave an incredulous look. "You don't KNOW? Aisha almost died because you blank out and your best fucking answer is YOU DON'T KNOW?" Rocky swung at Tommy again angrily.

Tommy caught his fist, squeezing it tightly, causing the younger man to wince. "Don't make me hurt you, Rocky." He pushed the red ranger back forcefully, causing him to stumble slightly.

Rocky moved forward again, but Adam blocked his path. "Not now," he said sternly.

"This isn't over," he snarled. Tommy glared at him, unwilling to continue the argument.

Billy moved over to Goldgoyle's body, rolling him over onto his front. The damage done to his face by Rocky made the creature unrecognizable - it was completely bashed in. Billy spotted the shard on the ground, halfway embedded in dirt. Scooping the dirt up along with the shard, Billy dumped the shard into a pouch.

"This mission is over. We need to return home. The rest of this can wait." Tommy nodded.

"Let's go." Six beams of light left Phaedos in a flash.

* * *

**Medical Bay**

**Command Center**

Tommy stood at the doorway of the Medical Bay, watching from afar as Billy, Adam, and Aisha were checked out. Alpha had wrapped up Aisha's torso, ordering her to take it easy due to the wound she had received. Even though it was healed, she didn't need to strain her body.

Aisha was headed out of the Medical Bay when she saw Tommy standing in the doorway. If ever anyone needed a picture for the word guilt, Tommy's face at the moment would definitely suffice.

She stood next to him. "Walk with me?" He nodded slowly, standing a bit behind her.

The two walked down the halls of the Command Center, moving to sit in the Day Room next to the window.

"What happened out there today?"

Tommy sighed. He didn't want to share this with her, but given that it almost got her killed, he knew he owed her as much. "Something's wrong with me, 'Sha. Me and Kim."

She shot him a worried glance. "I thought you guys settled everything today at lunch?"

He looked out the window, running a finger along the pane. "We're fine in terms of our relationship. It's…it's something else."

Aisha furrowed her brow. "Well, spit it out, boy."

Tommy scratched the back of his neck. "We've been having these…these visions." Aisha raised an eyebrow. "I don't know why or how. Our guess is that it's because we touched that shard."

Aisha sat back slowly.

Tommy eyed her. "You don't seem too surprised." She shrugged.

"That you're having visions? Yeah, I'm surprised. That it's caused by the shard? Not so much." At Tommy's confused expression she continued, "Zordon said the shard had an effect on whoever touched it. Billy mentioned we should be on the lookout for anything weird happening with you two."

Tommy nodded. "Fair enough."

Aisha raised an eyebrow. "If you don't mind my asking, what kind of visions are you having?"

Tommy shot her a look. "I do mind." She shot him a look back. "Sorry," he muttered. "Everything just has me on edge, I guess."

She smiled softly. "So when you froze out there today… you were having a vision?" He looked down before giving her confirmation.

"It's okay, Tommy."

He growled in frustration. "No it's not, 'Sha. Kim said we needed to talk to Zordon… we should've said something before we left for Phaedos. _I_ should've said something." He shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, Aisha." The look in his eyes nearly broke her heart. She knew no matter what she said about forgiving him, he would never forgive himself.

Tommy licked his lips, forcing himself to speak. "I was terrified when you weren't moving. You were so still…" he trailed off. "I couldn't live with myself if I knew someone had died, and I could've stopped it. Especially a teammate. Especially a friend."

He looked down, taking a breath before looking her in the eyes. "Just know that something like this will never happen again. I made a mistake today, and I learned the price of that mistake. It won't be repeated."

Aisha smiled sadly at him before pulling him into a tight hug. "I forgive you, Tommy. A million times over." He hugged her a bit tighter. "I just hope you allow yourself the same courtesy," she whispered in his ear.

Pulling back from him, she punched him hard in the chest. He grunted in shock.

"Consider it payback."

He grinned. "I thought you forgave me?"

"I do!" She laughed. "But now I forgive you _and_ we're even." He rolled his eyes, standing up. Reaching out a hand, he helped his petite friend stand.

She looped an arm with his. "Now… tell me all the juicy details of how you and Kim made up."

Tommy blushed to the roots of his hair.

Aisha's eyes widened. "Oh this _must _be good!"

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

Rocky raised an eyebrow seeing Tommy and Aisha walk into the control room arm in arm. She mouthed to him that she'd tell him later, and he nodded. He was not yet ready to forgive Tommy for letting Aisha nearly die.

Kimberly stood next to Adam, who was telling her about his morning with Tanya Sloan. She was smiling brightly, eyes shining with pride and excitement. She reached forward, pinching his cheek as he blushed, pushing her away from him gently.

Billy stood resolutely, his entire stance rigid as he waited for the appearance of their mentor. He didn't have to wait long as Zordon appeared in his energy tube.

"RANGERS."

The teens moved forward.

"DO YOU HAVE THE SHARD?"

Tommy nodded, motioning for Billy to hand it over. Billy lifted a hand, stilling Tommy's movements.

"Zordon, you told us before that Goldgoyle was a being of honor, correct?"

"THIS IS CORRECT, BILLY."

"And you also said he would not do anything to dishonor himself as he was a proud warrior, right?" Zordon nodded again. There was a hard edge to Billy's tone.

"When we arrived at Phaedos, every living being on that planet as far as our eyes could see had been slaughtered. Including civilians…and Dulcea." Billy's voice was controlled, but the anger was apparent.

Zordon said nothing.

He walked up to Zordon's tube, peering closely. "And you don't even seem surprised." The other rangers watched the interaction between the blue ranger and the Eltarian.

"IF YOU ARE INSINUATING THAT I KNEW THERE WOULD BE DESTRUCTION ON PHAEDOS, YOUR ANSWER IS YES. IT IS A WAR, BILLY. THERE ARE CASUALTIES."

Rocky's eyes widened. "This wasn't destruction, Zordon. Goldgoyle wiped out an entire planet! It was a massacre. Genocide, even." Zordon looked at him. "We were NOT prepared for that! You told us it wouldn't be that bad, but it was. There were dead warriors, and we expected that. We didn't expect to see civilians. Children..."

"I AM SORRY YOU HAD TO WITNESS THAT, MY RANGERS."

Rocky rolled his eyes, his irritation apparent.

"THIS IS WHY YOU ARE NEEDED IN RETRIEVING THESE SHARDS. THE FATE OF THE UNIVERSE IS AT STAKE AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN THE HANDS OF EVIL."

Rocky looked up at Zordon. "Why are these shards so important? What are they capable of?"

"THE SHARDS POSSESS GREAT POWER. THEY–"

Tommy scoffed. "Tell us the truth, Zordon."

The Eltarian looked at Tommy. "YOU SUGGEST I AM NOT BEING HONEST?"

"No," he growled. "You're being honest, but you're only giving half the story."

Zordon said nothing. Tommy threw up his hands in frustration, his eyes wild. "Dammit, Zordon! Aisha almost died today because of these shards!"

No one said anything.

Tommy swore softly before continuing, "The shard we retrieved in Greece is having an… unanticipated effect on Kim and me." He pressed forward, "We need to know what we're dealing with, Zordon."

The Eltarian looked at his friend Alpha 5.

Billy snapped, "Fine." He pulled out the pouch with the shard in it. Opening the pouch, Billy moved to put his hand inside.

"DON'T." The seriousness of Zordon's tone made the blue ranger pause.

He looked up at their mentor.

"Then start talking."


	5. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:** Here's the second part of the last chapter. It was extremely long so I split it up into 2 separate parts, and I felt that last line was a good place to break it off. Thanks to Shawn30 and psycochick32 for being awesome beta readers, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. As usual, please read and review. And once again, this chapter is rated M for a reason...I'm glad you guys are enjoying this fic. Hope y'all like this chapter!_

* * *

The other rangers watched on nervously, their mentor's face unmoving at Billy's words. After what felt like hours, but in reality was only a few seconds, Zordon finally spoke.

"I SUGGEST YOU FIND A PLACE TO SIT, RANGERS. THIS TALE IS QUITE LONG."

An hour later, the six teens sat on the floor of the control room Indian-style, listening as Zordon told the story of the Imanyd shards.

"…AND IT WAS THEN WHEN I MADE THE POWER COINS. I USED THE SCROLLS OF NINJOR, THE KEEPER OF THE NINJETTI TEMPLE, AND THE PHAEDOSIAN TEXTS TO CREATE THEM." He paused. "NITROGEN IS TOXIC TO ELTARIANS, SO I NEEDED WARRIORS TO CARRY OUT MY MISSION IN MY PLACE. I FOUND YOU."

Adam looked up at Zordon. "So this war… it all started because of the Elders of Eltar? And now you're trying to end it?"

Zordon nodded. "I HAVE ALWAYS CARRIED A GREAT SENSE OF GUILT AND REGRET AT THE DESTRUCTION THIS UNIVERSE HAS SEEN DUE TO AN ERROR IN JUDGMENT OF MY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MY FATHER. I'VE DEDICATED MYSELF TO ENDING THIS WAR AND RESTORING MY PEOPLE'S HONOR."

Kimberly stood up, pacing the floor behind the others.

"You said Rita and the others were never actually evil in the beginning, right?"

"THIS IS CORRECT."

She paused, arms crossed over her chest. "But the shards… they made them that way?"

Zordon considered her words. "THE IMANYD CANNOT MAKE SOMEONE GOOD OR EVIL. POWER IS INHERENTLY NEITHER; IT IS THE BEHOLDER THAT DETERMINES ITS NATURE."

"HOWEVER," he continued, "AS THE SHARDS CAN… AMPLIFY CERTAIN TRAITS, THEY CAN BE HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL IN ONE'S CHOICE TO FIGHT FOR GOOD OR EVIL. THE SHARD THAT IVAN OOZE POSSESSED MAGNIFIED HIS CONTEMPT. I WOULD IMAGINE IVAN OOZE ALREADY POSSESSED THAT QUALITY, HAVING BEEN A MEMBER OF A RACE THAT WAS TREATED CRUELLY AND BRUTALIZED FOR CENTURIES. THE SHARD DID NOT CREATE HIS CONTEMPT, ONLY STRENGTHENED IT AND GAVE HIM THE POWER TO ACT ON IT."

Zordon paused. "LORD ZEDD WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF AN ARCHDUKE FOR HIS PLANET WHEN HE FOUND HIS SHARD. IT WAS WELL-KNOWN THAT ZEDD WAS ALWAYS SEEKING TO RISE UP IN POWER, STARTING AS A BARON AND MAKING HIS WAY UP THROUGH THE RANKS OF NOBILITY. HE WAS YOUNG, INTELLIGENT, AND HIGHLY RESOURCEFUL. THE SHARD MERELY INTENSIFIED HIS ALREADY-EXISTING AMBITION."

The rangers considered Zordon's words.

"You said the Imanyd was shattered into fifteen pieces," stated Billy.

"CORRECT."

"And this shattering split the Imanyd into fifteen qualities of power?" Zordon nodded.

"Prodigious," whispered Billy, standing up. "Do you have any knowledge on what those qualities are?"

Alpha 5 nodded. "Yes, Billy." Pressing some buttons on the control panel, Alpha 5 brought up a list. The teens all gathered around the computer.

"Trust. Honor. Respect. Persistence. Reason. Discipline," read Rocky aloud. "The Shards of Light?"

Zordon nodded. "YES. I'VE CATEGORIZED THE SHARDS INTO THREE GROUPS – LIGHT, DARKNESS, AND BALANCE. THE SHARDS OF LIGHT WERE THOSE USED TO CREATE THE POWER RANGERS."

"Control," read Adam, looking over at Alpha.

The robot nodded. "For every Shard of Light, there exists a Shard of Darkness to balance it. There must also exist a shard to unify them."

Aisha considered this. "Makes sense. You always said one can't truly have power without control."

"PRECISELY."

Billy's eyes moved to the remaining words on the screen. "Greed. Contempt. Ambition. Corruption. Deceit. Brutality. Desire. The Shards of Darkness."

Tommy's body tensed at the word 'desire.' He didn't have to look at Kim to know she was thinking the same thing.

"The first three were already coveted by Rita and the others. Your mission to the Machine Empire brought the Shard of Greed here. The one you found in the Arctic Circle was where Ivan Ooze's grave is, also putting the Shard of Contempt in our possession," stated Alpha.

Rocky turned away from the computer. "I'm going to take a wild guess that the one we picked up on Phaedos today was the Shard of Brutality?" He already knew the answer before Zordon confirmed.

Billy pondered this. "It would certainly explain Goldgoyle's seemingly uncharacteristic behavior. Given your descriptions of him, Zordon, it appears to be the only logical conclusion."

"And you're sure these are all the qualities?" asked Adam.

"WE ARE NOT CERTAIN, BUT IT IS THE MOST LOGICAL CONCLUSION THAT THESE ARE THE FIFTEEN TRAITS." There was a moment of silence as the rangers digested this information.

"You said the shard intensifies an existing quality?" asked Tommy softly.

"YES."

"How do you make it stop?" Zordon looked at his white ranger. "The shard Kimberly and I made contact with… it's been plaguing us with visions."

"WHAT SORT OF VISIONS?"

Tommy felt his neck get hot. "Visions that feel too real to be just visions." He looked at the other rangers. "Visions I would rather not discuss."

Zordon stared hard at Tommy. His eyes then traveled to Kimberly, who seemed intent on not looking away from the floor. He said nothing for some time.

"I DO NOT KNOW OF A WAY TO STOP THE POWER OF THE SHARDS, TOMMY. THE SHARDS ARE VERY POWERFUL, AND THEIR EFFECT ON THOSE WHO TOUCH THEM ONLY SEEMS TO INCREASE WITH TIME."

Tommy shot a worried glance at Kimberly.

"So these visions Tommy and Kimberly have been having… they will increase in frequency?" asked Billy.

Zordon nodded. "AND MOST LIKELY INTENSIFY. I CANNOT PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT THIS SEEMS THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME."

"Zordon, do you know of the effects of resisting the shards?"

Zordon peered at his pink ranger. "I DO NOT UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, KIMBERLY."

She elaborated. "During these… visions, there's some sort of…" she struggled to find the words. "It's very difficult to fight off the effects of the shard. It's almost like being forced against your will."

Zordon's eyes widened. "AGAINST YOUR WILL?"

"Yeah," she stated. "When it happens, you feel this sensation… I don't know how to describe it. It's like being freezing cold and burning hot at the same time. It doesn't hurt you if you go along with the vision. But if you don't…" Kim bit her lip nervously. "The pain it causes you… it's unbearable." She rubbed a hand over her flat stomach, remembering the searing pain she felt before.

Tommy nodded. "Yeah. And the visions are a bit disturbing. They're very intense and overwhelming." He paused, not wanting to say more than necessary.

"GO ON, TOMMY. THE MORE YOU TELL US, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES ARE OF BEING HELPED. HOWEVER, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE WITH THE SHARDS," said Zordon calmly, ignoring the look Alpha 5 gave him. "NO ONE THAT POSSESSES A SHARD HAS RESISTED ITS POWER."

Billy peered at Zordon, not entirely convinced of what he was saying for some reason… namely because their mentor had already proven he would withhold information from them if he felt it was necessary. He noticed the look Alpha gave to Zordon, but the robot refused to speak out against their mentor. Billy tucked this bit of information in his memory for later.

Tommy fought against his natural urge to shut down when talking about the visions, forcing the words from his mouth. "When the vision strikes, there's a white light. It's extremely bright, and it sorta stuns you."

Kim nodded in agreement.

"And then the vision starts. It's not like a dream, though. Everything seems real. Smells, sounds… touch…" he trailed off. "It's difficult to distinguish between what's in our heads and what's reality."

Billy furrowed his brow. "Do you have the same visions?" The two teens nodded. "Interesting."

"Tommy and I were discussing it earlier today during lunch. We were going to talk to you about it but then we had to go to Phaedos," said Kimberly.

"Tommy had a vision today when we were on Phaedos," offered Aisha. Rocky looked at Tommy with a new understanding.

"That's why you weren't moving?" Tommy mumbled lowly, "Yeah. It hit me while I was running behind Goldgoyle."

"When we're alone, the vision just paralyzes us… it's like being suspended in reality, almost. If we're together when it happens…" She didn't finish; she didn't need to.

Rocky moved forward. "Zordon, we can't have Kimberly and Tommy on active duty so long as they're having these visions. Today showed us how this not only makes them a liability, but puts us in a vulnerable position as a team."

Tommy scowled, glaring at his second-in-command. He knew Rocky was justified in his statement, but it didn't piss him off any less.

"I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN, ROCKY. RANGERS, THIS IS NOT A SITUATION THAT WAS ANTICIPATED. THE SHARDS I COLLECTED HAD LITTLE TO NO EFFECT ON ME, AS THESE WERE QUALITIES I GREW UP VALUING ON MY HOME PLANET." He looked at Tommy and Kimberly.

"I AM HESITANT TO SEND EITHER OF YOU INTO BATTLE UNDER YOUR… CONDITION." Tommy's fists clenched at his side, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"HOWEVER," Zordon continued, "FOUR RANGERS IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME." Tommy couldn't agree more.

"THE WAR HAS REACHED A NEW PHASE, RANGERS. ALL OF THE IMANYD SHARDS HAVE BEEN COLLECTED. WE MUST NOW BEGIN PHASE TWO OF YOUR MISSION."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Phase two? Zordon, what are you talking about?"

Billy stepped forward. "Zordon, we only have eleven of the shards in our possession."

"AND YOU WILL RETRIEVE THE REMAINING FOUR."

Rocky made a face. "Come again?"

"ALL OF THE SHARDS ARE NEEDED TO END THIS WAR."

"We know that, Zordon, but three of those shards are at the Moon Palace. There's no way we can fight Rita, Zedd, and Goldar all at once. Not to mention the location of the fourth shard is not known," stated Aisha.

"YOU ARE RIGHT, AISHA. YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO FIGHT AT THE MOON PALACE." Zordon paused. "THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HEADED TO ELTAR."

Tommy scoffed. "Zordon, the time for ambiguities has passed." The other rangers looked at their leader in shock, surprised at how he spoke to Zordon. "Just be straight with us. Please." His voice cracked slightly at the end of his sentence.

Kimberly ran a comforting hand up and down Tommy's back. She could tell he was close to his breaking point, and she couldn't really blame him.

"THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THE SHARD OF BALANCE IS LOCATED ON ELTAR, IN THE POSSESSION OF AN OLD FRIEND."

"Who is this friend?"

"NINJOR, THE KEEPER OF THE NINJETTI AND PROTECTOR OF THE TEMPLE." The teens looked at each other in wonder, familiar with the legend of Ninjor.

Rocky's face scrunched up in confusion. "Why the hell would _he _have it?" Aisha threw a stern look at Rocky at his language, but he ignored her.

"THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT HE DOES, BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE HE HAS IT."

Rocky laughed, running his hands over his face in agitation. "So we're going halfway across the universe to find a guy that _might _have an important piece of this puzzle to save the universe?"

No one said anything in response.

Rocky crossed him arms over his chest, shaking his head. "Of course, this makes _perfect_ sense… but don't mind me… I'm just the one with the smart animal spirit…" He continued mumbling to himself.

Tommy forced himself to ignore Rocky, not wanting to admit that the boy in red had a point. "So we're going to Eltar to retrieve the shard?"

Zordon nodded. "AND TO UNLOCK THE FULL POWER OF THE NINJETTI."

Billy's ears perked up at this.

"WHEN I USED THE NINJETTI SPIRITS TO FIND POWER BEARERS, I KNEW VERY LITTLE OF WHAT THE NINJETTI WARRIORS CAN ACHIEVE. MY ORIGINAL INTENTION WAS TO FIND THOSE WORTHY OF THE POWER I WOULD EVENTUALLY BESTOW UPON THEM."

Billy scratched his chin. "So we're stronger than we originally thought?"

"PRECISELY, BILLY. NINJOR IS THE ONLY BEING WHO KNOWS THE TRUE POWER OF THE NINJETTI. THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS THE MOST POWERFUL WARRIORS IN THE GALAXY WHEN THEIR TRUE POWER IS UNLEASHED."

Tommy smiled in understanding. "And if this power is so strong, it must have a source…"

"PRECISELY. UNLOCKING THE TRUE POWER OF THE NINJETTI SHOULD HELP IN DEFEATING RITA AND ZEDD AT THE MOON PALACE."

Adam nodded. "How long should this journey take?"

"THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE, ADAM. I WOULD IMAGINE SEVERAL DAYS."

Tommy groaned. "We don't have a few days to spare. We're students. Anyone could notice we're missing."

Rocky shrugged. "I'm down for skipping. This is far more important than the crap we learn in school."

Aisha rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

Billy raised a hand. "If I may provide a solution?" The other rangers looked at him. "Spring break is quickly approaching. Approximately two weeks from tomorrow. We can simply leave then and spend the week on this quest."

Kim considered this. "We could pull it off. Come up with the right lie… our parents would probably fall for it."

Tommy looked at his teammate. "Billy, you're the brains. Find something our parents would believe… something plausible that seems like a legitimate reason for us being gone for a week. Think you can handle that?"

Billy nodded. "Affirmative. It shouldn't be that difficult given the level of trust our parents already have in us. I will have something by Saturday morning. I need to come up with a legitimate reason why they won't be able to be in constant communication with us and for giving them such short notice."

"Good," said Tommy. "Zordon, do Rita and Zedd know about the number of shards or what happens when they are combined?"

Zordon shook his head. "PERHAPS, BUT I DOUBT IT. I DON'T BELIEVE THEY WERE AWARE MORE THAN ONE SHARD EXISTED UNTIL THEY MET EACH OTHER. THEY KNOW I HAVE A NUMBER OF SHARDS IN MY POSSESSION, BUT THE EXACT NUMBER IS PROBABLY NOT KNOWN. GIVEN THAT GOLDAR JUST RETRIEVED ANOTHER SHARD AND YOU HAVE RETRIEVED SOME ON YOUR OWN, I SUSPECT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AS MANY SHARDS AS POSSIBLE."

"Perfect," smiled Tommy. "They're going on a wild goose chase as of right now. They are still looking for shards but have no idea they are all already located." Tommy moved to the computer.

"Computer, how many planets are in the universe?" He shook his head. "Computer, disregard last inquiry. Tell me the number of planets in this galaxy and the two nearest."

The computer made several noises. "Twenty-seven."

Tommy squinted. "Computer, show a map of the planets in space. List the planet name underneath." A large map appeared on the screen, twenty-seven spheres on the screen.

Tommy pointed at the screen. "We're here." He pointed at Earth. "Goldar has already been to Mirinoi, Edinoi, and KO-35. Rita and Zedd probably are unaware that we retrieved the shard from Phaedos."

Zordon shook his head. "GOLDGOYLE SERVED THE PIRATE DIVATOX. DIVATOX IS THE NIECE OF RITA REPULSA."

"Okay, scratch that one." He surveyed the map. "That leaves 22 planets for Goldar to search. Would Goldar attempt to go to Eltar?"

Zordon thought on this. "RTIA AND ZEDD WOULD PROBABLY COMMAND HIM TO SEARCH THE PLANET LAST. THEY DO NOT WISH TO GET NEAR ELTAR."

"All right. If Goldar uses one of their normal ships… it would take him quite a while to hit all the planets; about eight weeks if he just goes planet to planet without turning back. If he uses Serpentera, it would most likely cut his travel time down by a factor of two, maybe even three." Tommy stared at the screen.

Billy moved beside his friend. "So worse case, we have about three weeks to get to Eltar, unlock our powers, retrieve the shard, and get back to Earth."

Rocky smiled. "Piece of cake." Tommy gave his friend a look.

"But what about the shards here?" Adam asked. "If we're out on Eltar, what's to stop Rita and Zedd from trying to get the shards that are here?"

"THEY CANNOT ENTER THE COMMAND CENTER WITHOUT A POWER COIN. HOWEVER, THEY COULD HYPOTHETICALLY DESTROY THE COMMAND CENTER FROM THE OUTSIDE," Zordon admitted.

"IT IS A RISK WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE. ALPHA CAN CREATE A FORCE FIELD AROUND THE COMMAND CENTER. AT WORSE, RITO REVOLTO WOULD BE SENT TO ATTACK IN GOLDAR'S ABSENCE, BUT HE IS OF LITTLE CONCERN. I DOUBT ZEDD AND RITA WOULD BE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO ATTACK WITH THEIR STRONGEST WARRIOR OUT IN SPACE."

"And there is no need to worry, Adam. I can teleport you safely to Eltar without being detected. As far as Rita and Zedd will know, you'll still be on Earth." The boy in black seemed satisfied with this answer.

"All right. Billy, work on our alibi. Rocky, we need to meet up some time next week to discuss this Ninja Quest." Rocky nodded.

"Everyone else, make preparations for the trip."

* * *

**Men's Quarters**

**Tommy's Room**

**Command Center**

Tommy lay on his back, staring up at the gray ceiling as he thought about his day, his mind racing a mile a minute. Between Goldgoyle, Aisha nearly dying, that _moment_ with Kim in the janitor's closet, and now this new mission in the coming weeks… he felt like his head was going to explode.

Tommy sighed heavily, moving to interlock his fingers over his stomach. He closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come over him.

The door to Tommy's room burst open, slamming into the wall. Tommy's eyes snapped open as he jumped up, facing the intruder. His eyes narrowed when he realized who it was.

"Motherfu–" Rocky kicked the door closed with his foot, slamming it with a loud bang.

"We need to talk, man." Tommy glared angrily at Rocky, standing up to face his friend, rising to his full six feet.

Tommy crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrow raised in annoyance. "I'm waiting."

Rocky rolled his eyes. "Enough with the posturing, Tommy."

Tommy now raised both eyebrows. "Wow, Rocky learned a new word. Posturing, that's a big one for you."

Rocky grit his teeth, opting to ignore his teammate trying to goad him. Closing his eyes, he slowly counted back from ten to calm himself.

"Look, are you going to speak or what?" asked Tommy bitterly.

"Tommy, don't you _dare _talk to me like that!" snarled Rocky, pausing to control his ire. "I just came here to apologize for earlier."

Tommy shrugged. "Okay."

Rocky continued. "Look, I didn't know the reason you paused was because of those visions or whatever. I get now that you weren't trying to let Aisha be attacked."

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "You thought I _wanted_ her to get run through by that freak Goldgoyle?"

Rocky sighed. "Look, man. On my end, all I saw was you standing there with this stupid ass look on your face. You were just _staring_ at Aisha as that bastard choked the life outta her! What the hell was I supposed to think?"

"You were supposed to think that Aisha is my friend!" yelled Tommy. "You're supposed to know that I'm the leader of this fucking team! I would put my life on the line for any of you, Rocky! You're supposed to know that! Before today, have I ever let you down in battle?"

Rocky clenched his jaw, muttering gruffly, "No."

"Exactly. No." Tommy looked at his friend in a mix of anger and hurt.

Rocky threw a glare his way. "Oh come off it, Tommy! I made a mistake in judgment, all right? Clearly, I know you wouldn't do that."

Tommy's look did not change.

"I know you would never leave any of us out high and dry like that. It was the heat of the moment." Rocky swallowed hard. "I just… she was about to die, man." Rocky moved slowly to Tommy's bed, taking a seat at the foot of it.

He stared at the floor. "All I could think in that moment was that Aisha was going to die, and I was powerless to stop it." His voice dropped to a fierce whisper. "I could hear him crushing her windpipe, Tommy." He shook his head. "And I just… I just sat there useless."

He looked up at the white ranger. "And when I saw you, I remember thinking, 'Thank God,' you know? T's about to save 'Sha. Even if I was laying there hopeless, bleeding out of my chest, I knew you would get to her. You always manage to save us."

Tommy's angry expression melted into one of pain and understanding, and he slowly sank to the bed, sitting next to Rocky.

"But I didn't," said Tommy softly.

Rocky looked over to his friend. "No, you didn't." He picked at his fingernails. "'Sha's been my best friend since we were three," he laughed softly. "And in a few short seconds, she was gone. He took her from me. And you let it happen." Rocky went silent, not trusting himself to speak further.

Tommy stared at his friend, not sure how to react to this more serious side of his second-in-command. Kimberly was far better at the emotional meltdowns than he was.

"I was going to kill you." Neither said anything for a while following Rocky's confession.

Tommy cleared his throat awkwardly. "I uh... I wouldn't blame you if you did. Had the situations been reversed and Kim in Aisha's place…" Tommy shook his head before turning to look his friend dead in the eye.

"Nothing would've stopped me from coming after you."

Rocky held his stare for some time before smiling to himself. "We are quite a pair, man. Wonder how Zordon would react to this conversation between the team leaders."

Tommy gave a wry smile. "I don't think he'd be too thrilled."

Rocky grinned, chuckling softly before his smile disappeared. They sat in companionable silence.

"I'm sorry I failed Aisha." Tommy looked down, chest tightening. He hated apologizing for anything, but he forced the words out. "I'm sorry I failed you today."

Rocky nodded his acceptance. "Sorry I broke your jaw."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "No you're not."

Rocky shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "No, not really."

Tommy stood, looking down at his friend. "It's forgiven. Under those circumstances, I'm surprised you didn't do more damage." Rocky peered up at him before standing to his feet as well.

"So am I." He reached out a hand to Tommy. The white ranger hesitated before grasping Rocky's hand in his own, giving it a firm shake.

"You healed Aisha, Tommy. For that I am eternally grateful."

Tommy felt a knot in his throat, attempting to pull his hand away. "She almost died because of me."

Rocky tightened his grip on Tommy's hand. "And she's alive because of you. Live in the present, not the past."

He released him, turning to head out of his room. Tommy stood there, blinking rapidly against the stinging sensation at the back of his eyes. He cleared his throat gently, hands on his hips. "Hey, Rock?"

Rocky turned back to him, hand on the doorknob.

"Tell Aisha how you feel… you may not get a second chance." The red ranger looked at his friend before opening the door, closing it softly behind him.

Tommy tilted his head back, hands running over his face. He could feel everything bubbling just beneath the surface.

He needed to see Kimberly.

* * *

**Women's Quarters**

**Kimberly's Room**

**Command Center**

Adam Park lay on his stomach on the pink sheets of Kimberly's bed, arms wrapped tightly around the fluffy pink pillows. His eyes were half open as he listened to Aisha and Kim talk rapidly to each other.

The yellow ranger sat beside him, elbows resting on his back as she leaned against him to talk to her best friend. Aisha's legs were crossed at the knees, legs bopping up and down.

Kimberly was facing the two of them, resting in her beanbag chair as she recounted the part of the battle Aisha was out for. Billy rested on the floor, his head leaning against Kim's left knee.

"…and he leapt up, bleeding and everything. Aisha, I've never seen Rocky move so quickly with such a horrible wound." Kim shook her head. "One minute he was on the ground, the next he was on that freakazoid, pummeling him."

Aisha's eyes widened, slightly shocked. She knew Rocky would be upset that she was hurt. He normally got a bit pissy when she got even the slightest scratch or bruise after a fight. But to hear that he beat Goldgoyle so badly that Billy couldn't recognize the creature's face?

Adam rolled over, arms covering his face as Aisha's elbows now rested on his abdomen.

"His face was completely unrecognizable," said Billy in wonder. "I'm not even sure Rocky is aware of how horrific the damage was." Billy made a face, recalling the cavity Rocky formed in the being's face. They thought he was ugly before…

Aisha shook her head. "I just can't believe Rocky would do something like that. Him being that angry is just…"

Adam scoffed under his arms, mumbling something Aisha couldn't make out. She turned to him.

"What, Adam?"

He moved his arms, peeking at her through one eye. "I said Rocky's behavior was not at all surprising given that he's been in love with you forever, Aisha."

Aisha's eyes widened and Kim snickered as she saw Aisha flush with embarrassment. Aisha yanked a pillow from under Adam, hitting him with it repeatedly.

Grunting under her blows, he fiercely grabbed it from her. "What?" he hissed angrily; sleepy Adam was not nearly as reserved as his fully-awake self was.

She shook her head. "Don't say things like that, Adam. Rocky doesn't have feelings for me."

Kimberly let out a small cough, and Billy merely closed his eyes to prevent Aisha from seeing them roll.

Adam visibly rolled his, turning over onto his side to stare at Aisha. He propped his head up, raising an eyebrow. "You really think Rocky doesn't have feelings for you?"

She shook her head.

He blinked slowly in disbelief. "And I guess you only see him as a friend, right? Nothing else?"

She rolled her eyes. "We're just friends."

Adam threw a look at Kim, who shook her head sadly.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered, rolling back over onto his back. "You're worse than Tommy and Kim." Kim glared at him as Billy chuckled quietly against her leg, the vibrations giving him away. She kicked him softly in the ribs, and he glared at her briefly before closing his eyes again.

Aisha bit her lip, moving to lie down next to Adam on the bed. She turned to face Kim.

The pink ranger rolled her eyes. "'Sha, we all know you're crazy about the boy… and he definitely feels the same." Aisha could feel Adam nodding beside her underneath his arms, agreeing with Kim's words.

"I have to agree with these two, Aisha. Although I cannot proclaim to be privy to Rocky's feelings, all evidence points to him having more than platonic feelings towards you."

Adam moved his arms. "You, me, and Rocky have known each other since we were twelve. I know how he is when he likes a girl, and I also know he gets insanely jealous whenever another guy talks to you."

Aisha groaned. "Okay, look. I do like Rocky-"

Adam's sarcastic whisper of 'shocker' earned him a slap on the stomach.

"But he definitely doesn't feel that way about me. I mean come on; you guys have seen the girls he's dated. Crystal Johansson, Katherine Hillard… let's not forget Margarita?" Aisha rolled her eyes at the thought of the busty blonde whose face Rocky was permanently attached to for three days. "I'm definitely not his type, guys."

Kim shook her head. "Those girls meant nothing to Rocky. You know that, 'Sha. We've had this conversation a _million_ times. He wants you." Aisha pondered this.

"Say you're right that he has feelings for me…"

Kimberly nodded. "Mmhmmmm…."

"I'm not sure if I should take that leap with him…" Aisha felt extremely vulnerable. Known for speaking her mind and telling it like it is, she felt like a fish out of water when facing her feelings for a certain red ranger.

"I felt the same way about taking that step with Tommy, 'Sha," said Kim softly. Aisha remembered well the days before there was a 'Tommy and Kimberly.' She pushed her friend towards taking a chance with the hot loner from Stone Canyon. She knew Kimberly agonized over the possible repercussions on dating Tommy just as she had with Rocky.

"It's scary, going from friends to something more," continued Kim. "But you have to try, Aisha. The feeling of not knowing is far worse than taking the chance." Aisha considered her friend's words.

"It would just be too weird, you guys. Rocky and I have too strong of a friendship to risk it. We're both hotheaded. He'll piss me off, I'll snap… and bam, fifteen years of friendship down the drain," she mumbled. "Plus, Rocky's never had a stable relationship to save his life. His longest was what? Three weeks? It wouldn't be worth it."

Billy Cranston shook his head in amusement. "Fascinating. I never thought I'd live to see the day when Aisha Campbell was afraid of anything. Or see her lie." Aisha narrowed her eyes. Adam sat up, now highly interested in the conversation at hand.

"I'm not afraid, Billy. And what the hell do you mean I'm lying? That's a strong accusation."

The boy in blue raised an eyebrow.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Aisha, but your reason for your hesitation to pursue a romantic relationship with Rocky is out of fear." He paused, carefully watching her reaction to his words. He continued before she could interrupt. "You've stated that your main concern is either that Rocky will not reciprocate your feelings or that in the event that you two were to actually attempt to have a relationship, it would fail and your long-lasting friendship would suffer in the fallout."

"Yeah. But that was already said," she retorted irritably. Billy pulled his knees close to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. He stared hard at Aisha.

"While those reasons are perfectly logical, I do not believe they are the true reasons for you not pursuing a relationship with Rocky. It seems more that your reason is that you are not only afraid that Rocky will say yes, but that if you were to have this relationship, it would be successful. You have done nothing but come up with multiple excuses, flimsy at best, to rationalize why you should never be more than friends."

Kimberly looked between Aisha and Billy as they stared each other down.

Billy's analytical mind was as remarkable as it was frightening as far as Aisha was concerned. It always unnerved her how the blue ranger could pick apart a situation; stripping it down to such a basic level that nothing seemed to escape him. He was doing the same thing to her now, and she found it highly annoying.

Billy stared at her unflinchingly, daring Aisha to deny his claim. Seeing her lack of response, he continued.

"I believe a relationship between you and Rocky would be a welcome change. The rest of us would no longer be subjected to your incessant need to dance around each other." Aisha rolled her eyes. "But given your inability to face your fears…" He trailed off.

"Billy, shut up," she scoffed. "I'm not afraid. Certainly not of Rocky."

Billy shrugged. "I've never been wrong before, Aisha."

She scowled at him. "There's a first time for everything." Billy shot her an unimpressed look.

"So prove me wrong."

Kim and Adam waited with bated breath at what Aisha would do next. She stared at Billy for some time before she swore softly.

Adam smiled. "That's my girl!" She rolled her eyes, getting up off the bed and heading out the door, leaving it open as she walked down the hall.

"Let me know how it goes, Aisha!" yelled Billy behind her. The raised middle finger that pointed in his direction was her only response.

Kim laughed in amazement. "I've been trying to get her to talk to Rocky for months, Billy. How the hell did you do that?" He shrugged.

"Have Tommy for a best friend. You pick up a few things here and there on how to deal with proud, stubborn people." He looked at Kim. "He was most infuriating when you two weren't together freshman year. He would ask me the most asinine questions about you when we were in the locker room during gym." Billy shook his head.

Kim blushed as Adam sneered at her. "Told you." She rolled her eyes, getting up to occupy Aisha's vacant spot, resting on Adam.

"Getting to Aisha was simple." Billy shrugged. "I've come to realize what pushes everyone's buttons, and I used that to get her to act on something she didn't want to."

Adam looked over at him. "You're scary sometimes, Billy."

The sandy-haired young man grinned. "Trini says the same thing." Kim grinned at that. Billy's girlfriend of almost two years, Trini Kwan, helped tremendously to bring the shy Billy out of his shell.

They heard the sound of annoyance at the door. "Billy going on again about Trini?"

Billy threw a look at their leader. "Shut up, Tommy. It's not like I didn't hear enough of your whining about Kim to last a lifetime." Tommy shrugged, pushing himself off the doorframe. He knew he drove Billy absolutely insane about Kim, but who better than your best friend to turn to?

Tommy made eye contact with Kimberly, holding her gaze. "Can you guys give us a minute? I need to talk to Kim." His gaze never wavered from her, even as she smiled at Billy and Adam as they got up to leave. Kimberly's eyes raked over her boyfriend's large frame, standing in the doorway barefoot in loose-fit jeans and an unbuttoned black flannel shirt, hair hanging loosely about his shoulders and brooding eyes fixed on her…

Tommy Oliver looked positively edible.

Adam stretched, yawning. "Maybe now I can actually get some sleep." He gave Tommy a brief smile as he walked through the door.

Billy walked slowly past Tommy. "Behave."

Tommy grunted at him, still keeping his eyes on Kim.

Tommy walked into the room, closing the door softly with a 'click'. Kim ran a hand through her hair, looking at him with an unreadable expression. She patted the spot on the bed beside her, and Tommy slowly moved over, taking a seat.

Tommy said nothing for a long while, but Kimberly knew something was eating at him. He did this often: come to talk to her but spend the first several minutes saying absolutely nothing. It was maddening, but Kimberly long ago learned that it was just how Tommy was.

Tired of waiting, Kimberly got up, moving around her room as she put things in order. Tommy eyed her from his seat, and it wasn't until she walked past him for the eighth time did he reach out a hand, grabbing her wrist gently.

Kim stopped moving, allowing Tommy to turn her to face him and wrap his arms around her waist. He placed his head on her stomach, closing his eyes as her fingers ran through his hair. Kimberly ran her hands down his back, rubbing his shoulders gently.

Slowly, Tommy pulled her down so she was now straddling him on the bed. He reached up his hands, grabbing her face and pressing a firm kiss against her lips. It felt like an eternity before he pulled back from her.

"I needed to see you," he whispered hoarsely, running his fingers through her hair. He kissed her again briefly.

"I just- I really needed to see you." He kissed her harder this time, and she let out a soft moan as Tommy's tongue collided with hers sensuously. He pulled back after a few moments, leaving only the tiniest of space between their lips.

He spoke again, lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "I need to feel you."

Tommy's words struck something deep inside of Kimberly, and her body instantly felt hot all over, the spot between her legs gathering moisture. And this time, she knew it had nothing to do with the shards. Leaning forward, her lips captured his in a painfully slow kiss, tongue teasing his. Tommy wrapped his arms around her tightly, pressing her against his rising erection.

Kimberly groaned softly as she rubbed herself against him, and Tommy felt his cock jump in his jeans. Tommy quickly removed her shirt before moving his hands back to her face, kissing her deeply with everything in him.

Tommy moved to her neck, sucking on the spot that he knew turned her into jelly. Hearing her moans put a smile on Tommy's face. For the first time all day, Tommy felt in control of the situation around him. He wasn't being ignored by his girlfriend without knowing why… he wasn't acting on desires outside of his control… he wasn't standing helplessly as something terrible happened that he couldn't prevent…

_Tommy_ was in charge this time, and the feeling sent a powerful surge through him.

Tommy had one hand on Kim's firm ass, pressing her harder into him. The other was on her back, pressing her closer to him as he suckled her small breasts. Kim's eyes were thrown back, eyelids fluttering closed at Tommy's lips on her skin.

Tommy paid special to her nipples, nipping them as she squirmed in his lap. His hand moved from her back to the waistband of her gym shorts, and he spread his thighs, widening her legs. Tommy's long fingers crept into her panties, sliding slowly over her clit.

"Ohhhh," Kimberly breathed, eyes rolling into the back of her head. Tommy smiled against her breasts at the sound, moving his fingers lower to slide inside of her. Kimberly's wetness allowed for his fingers to slide easily inside of her. Tommy rotated his wrist, allowing her to ride his fingers in earnest. He had two, then three inside of her petite body. Kim's face contorted in pleasure as he finger-fucked her deeply.

Tommy's skimmed his thumb across her clit, and Kimberly bucked hard against him. She began to moan loudly, and he moved to kiss her neck. He kissed up the side of her face, taking her earlobe between his teeth.

"I want you to cum on my fingers," he breathed hotly into her ear. His voice thundered in her head; her whole world focused on achieving a wonderful climax. Tommy quickened the pace of his fingers, rubbing her clit in earnest. He needed her to get her release; he needed to be the one to cause her to get there.

"Cum for me, please," he whispered to her. Kimberly's hands on his shoulders fisted his shirt, and she arched against him. He watched with dark eyes as she closed her eyes tightly, teeth gritted as she attempted to muffle her screams. Her cries came out as whimpers, and Tommy leaned forward, kissing her hotly as she cried out his name in his mouth.

"Shhh," he whispered against her cheek when she calmed down. Though he inwardly relished in the control he had over her body, he didn't want the others to know what they were doing in her room. Kimberly came down from her high, hooded eyes searching her boyfriend's handsome face.

"What was that about?" she asked breathlessly. Tommy kissed her again, temporarily causing her to forget what she even asked him. Kimberly pulled back, however, pushing him away from her by the shoulders.

She studied him; his body language screamed how tense he was. He tried to kiss her again but she moved away from him, getting off of him and standing up. She looked him up and down, biting her lip as she thought on something.

"Lay down," she ordered. He raised an eyebrow. "Massage."

He nodded, moving to lay his long frame on his girlfriend's bed. He always felt kind of weird lying on pink sheets, not finding it at all manly. But then he reminded himself they were pink sheets on _Kimberly's_ bed, which made it a much better situation overall.

Kimberly sat astride her boyfriend's thighs, and she almost laughed at the vertical protrusion at his waist. He gave her a sheepish look, moving to unbutton his jeans and unzip the fly.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Uncomfortable."

She nodded, pushing his shirt off his shoulders. Getting the idea, Tommy took the shirt off, tossing it to the floor. She began to work on his right arm, massaging the knots in his muscles. Tommy closed his eyes, concentrating on the feeling of Kimberly's hands on his skin.

She leaned forward, pressing her fingers into his shoulders. He gave a low groan as she hit a particularly tender spot.

"Wanna tell me what's up?" asked Kim after some time. Tommy said nothing, keeping his eyes closed as she worked at the knots on his body.

"Today sucked." She nodded, although he couldn't see her. She could feel him getting less tense. "I was already pissed today when you kept avoiding me."

Kim gave a dry smile.

"I know you're smiling." She grinned at his accusation. "Please don't ever do that again, beautiful." She stopped kneading his body. Tommy opened his eyes to look at her. "If you get ever get mad at me or something, yell at me, scream, hit me, curse me out… but don't shut me out like that. I can't handle it."

His tone tore at her core, and she nodded briefly. Leaning forward, Kimberly placed a chaste kiss against his lips, holding it for several seconds. "I'm sorry," she whispered. He nodded, closing his eyes again.

Sitting back up, she turned her attention to his left arm. "And then today in the janitor's closet…"

Tommy thought back on their encounter. "As wonderful as that was, it scared me a bit."

"Why?" She knew the reason, but he needed to say it. Tommy never liked admitting fear. He fidgeted uncomfortably, and she could feel his muscles bunch up beneath her fingers.

"Talk to me," she whispered lowly.

Sighing, Tommy pressed forward. "I wasn't in control of myself. I hate it, Kim," he whispered fiercely. "The one thing I pride myself on is that I make my own choices. Good or bad, it's my call. I can own up to my mistakes."

His jaw clenched. "Today, all the shots were called for me. _You _decided to stop talking to me. This _stupid_ _shard_ caused me to act outside of myself. That damn _vision_ on Phaedos…" His voice cracked.

Kim's hands now skimmed his chest, kneading his torso.

"I saw Goldgoyle going for Aisha. I had the perfect position to strike, Kim." He shook his head. "All I had to do was slam my bo staff on the top of his head. Crack his skull. Done deal."

Tommy shook involuntarily, running his hands over his face. "I just stood there as she got stabbed, Kim…"

Kimberly paused, hearing the tremble in his voice. Leaning forward, she grabbed his hands from his face, interlocking her fingers with his.

"Baby, you've got to let it go."

His eyes were watery, blinking rapidly to fight the tears. "How do you let something like that go, Kim?" He swallowed hard. "My teammate… my friend… _your_ _best friend_… Kim, how the fuck did I let that happen?"

"Tommy," Kimberly dropped his hands, holding his face in her hands. She kissed both of his cheeks, his forehead, his nose, and then held her lips to his. "Calm down. Breathe with me."

Tommy focused on slowing his breathing, matching his breaths with hers. "I want you to listen to me, okay?" He nodded.

"What happened to Aisha today," she felt him tense up beneath her, "it wasn't your fault." She paused. "Yes, she was stabbed today, and yes, she nearly died. Those are facts you can't change." She could feel him trembling beneath her." She kissed him firmly on the mouth. "But she's alive, Tommy… she's alive because of you." She felt his face twitch under her lips.

"You had a moment that took control from you, Tommy, and I know that you hate that." She smoothed a hand over his face. "But when it mattered, when you regained control, you acted like the leader you are and took charge of the situation. You saved Aisha from certain death. You brought Rocky out of a violent rage." Tommy breathed shakily, hot tears stinging his cheeks; he couldn't remember when he started crying.

"Focus on that and be proud of it. Aisha forgave you. Rocky forgives you. Let it go," she whispered before kissing him again softly. She looked down at her boyfriend whose eyes were closed. He moved his arms over his face, covering them from her gaze. He knew she was right, but for him to just let it go? That was damn near impossible for the young man to do.

His entire body was now tense, and she could sense he was on the verge of a breakdown of some sort. She needed him to relax.

Kimberly moved down his body, spreading his legs to sit between them. She grabbed the legs of his jeans, yanking hard to pull them down his body. He lifted subconsciously, allowing her to strip him to his boxers. Boldly, Kimberly snaked her hand into his underwear, grabbing his cock.

Tommy's head snapped up in alarm, before he leaned back with a groan as she began to pump him in earnest. Kim kept her strokes firm, remembering how he had shown her to do it. She peeled his boxers off with her other hand, never losing the pace of her strokes. She stared at him with an unreadable expression, before nodding, as if coming to a decision.

Tommy grunted, hips moving to pump against her hand. He was filled with pleasure, eyes rolling backwards. He damn near came when he felt her breath over his cock before was enveloped in moist heat.

Tommy strained his neck to see his girlfriend sucking him off with fervor. "Oh f-fuck!" he shouted, unable to focus on anything but the feel of Kimberly's hot mouth around his penis. She hollowed her throat, taking Tommy as far into her mouth as she could without gagging. She used her hand to stroke him where her mouth couldn't reach.

Tommy reached down a hand, fisting it in Kimberly's hair as he snapped his hips forward, effectively fucking her mouth. Kimberly could only guess she was doing it, right from Tommy's reaction; the only words in his vocabulary were 'Kim', 'fuck', and 'oh' at the moment. She chuckled, and the vibrations around his cock sent pure fire through his veins.

She felt Tommy swell in her mouth, and his grip on her hair tightened considerably. She peeked up, watching as his movement on the bed got more and more sporadic. Kimberly rolled her tongue along his shaft, increasing the suction as she began to suck him harder.

Tommy let out a strained, "Kim, ohhh FUCK I'm cumming…" as he thrust roughly three times before his orgasm came in hot spurts, shooting into her mouth in waves. Tommy's mind went completely blank as he climaxed, as he felt everything in him leave in one shuddering orgasm. He trembled beneath her, shivering as the suction on his softening penis became too much. Kimberly kept sucking until he stopped shaking, opting to swallow the cum in her mouth. She didn't particularly like the taste, but it seemed rude to just spit it out.

He sat up slowly, staring hazily at his girlfriend. She grinned at him, seeing how he now looked more relaxed than ever.

"Feel better?" she asked.

He stared at her before pulling his underwear up and kicking his jeans off completely. He reached for her, pulling her towards him to rest comfortably against his chest. Tommy had to admit he felt significantly better, though more shocked that she actually went through with performing oral sex. Kim had always said she thought it was too gross… so for her to do it, without the influence of the shard…

He pulled Kim tighter to him. Kim snuggled up to her boyfriend, wrapping her arms around him.

"I love you," she whispered into his chest. Tommy looked down at her, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you, too." The last thing he remembered was staring at the ceiling drowsily before sleep claimed him.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: **This is part one of another really long chapter. Part two will be up in a while. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for the reviews. :) Feedback is always appreciated._

* * *

**Hallway**

**Angel Grove High School**

**7:53 AM, 1 week later**

Aisha Campbell hated to admit it, but he was right. As usual.

She was a coward when it came to Rocky Desantos.

Billy Cranston was walking past her with Tommy, the long-haired boy gesturing wildly as he relayed a story to his friend. Billy laughed at his antics, shaking his head at something he said.

He caught sight of Aisha past Tommy, giving her a bright smile as he passed. She rolled her eyes.

Smug bastard.

Turning, Aisha opened her locker, taking out her chemistry book as she prepared for the first class of the day. She blinked hard, willing the sleepiness to leave her eyes. She gave a small jump at the hand on the small of her back.

"Hey Aisha," smiled Rocky.

She turned around, smiling brightly at her best friend. Even at this ungodly hour, Aisha couldn't help but be happy to see him. Rocky's demeanor the last few weeks had changed. He seemed to be more attentive, closer to her. It was slightly unnerving.

"Hey, Rock. How are you this morning?" She turned back to her locker, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

He looked her up and down, eyes burning a hole through her. "I'm all right, I guess. Could be better."

She nodded, now fumbling around with her notebooks. Why was he standing so close to her?

"Yea, I know what you mean. Whoever thought it was a smart idea to wake us up at the butt crack of dawn was clearly not a student," she mumbled. Rocky grinned before dropping his smile.

"Aisha, look. I –" The bell rang for class, causing Rocky to roll his eyes in annoyance.

Aisha closed her locker. "Sorry, boo. Gotta go. You know how Mr. Raiford is."

She moved to slip away from him, but he caught her arm before she could move. Rocky looked around a bit before leaning into her, pressing her against the locker. Aisha's heart began to beat furiously at his close proximity.

He moved closer with intent before stopping, swearing softly as he shook his head. "We need to talk," he said lowly. She could tell from the look on his face it was serious. "Meet me at the Juice Bar after school."

She nodded, too caught up in how close he was to her to even consider saying no.

He smiled nervously. "Good," he said, backing away a bit. "I'll- uh... I'll see you later." Rocky turned around, nearly falling over himself to walk down the hall.

She stared at him as he left, unsure of what to think of their encounter. She barely noticed when Kimberly rushed towards her, grabbing her hand as she passed and yanked her into the classroom. The second bell rang as the girls stepped into the classroom.

Mr. Raiford looked at them. "Girls, you barely made it. Please, take your seats." They gave him a sheepish look, moving to sit at their lab bench near the back of the class.

Aisha pulled out a blank piece of paper after they were settled, scribbling a few words on there before passing it to Kim, thanking her for the save earlier. The pink ranger was looking at the board, but from the glassy look in her eyes, it was obvious she was not listening to a damn thing their teacher was saying. Quickly, she glanced at the paper, scribbling her own response with her pen before passing it back to Aisha. Mr. Raiford threw them a look at the sound of paper sliding on the table, and Kim gave him a winning smile. Shaking his head, he turned back to the board.

Kim tapped the side of her head, and Aisha understood.

"_Sorry. Completely forgot about the whole telepathy thing."_

Kim giggled over their link. _"It's cool. But anyway, answer my question. What was up with you? You looked completely out of it when I grabbed you."_

Aisha sighed, not speaking for some time. _"Rocky wants to meet up after school. Says we need to have a talk."_

Kim gave a small squeal, and several heads turned to look back at her. She flushed hotly under their gaze.

"Ms. Hart," said Mr. Raiford sternly.

She gave a sheepish look. "Sorry."

He turned back to the board.

Aisha was biting the inside of her cheek, trying her best not to laugh at Kim. The pink ranger kicked Aisha under the table, causing the girl to let out a low, pained groan.

"_Asshole."_

Kim smiled. _"Soooo… Rocky wants to talk after school? 'Sha, this is exciting! He wants to ask you out." _Kim heard no response.

"_He's probably going to talk to you since you told him how you felt last week."_ No response.

"_You did talk to him last week when you told Billy you would, right_?" Still nothing.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. _"Aisha, you're such a loser."_

Aisha ignored Kim's final comment. _"I wanted to but when I went to see him, he was sleeping!"_ Kim threw her a look.

"_Uh huh, and the six days between then and now?"_

Aisha peered over at her friend. _"I was busy?"_

Kim shook her head. _"Fail."_

A folded piece of paper landed on their desk suddenly. Kimberly reached for it, opening it and smiling before passing it to Aisha who rolled her eyes. She recognized the chicken scratch instantly. "I want in."

She looked to her right, noticing the fake concentration etched on Adam's face.

"_Adam, you're such a gossip whore."_

He smiled at Aisha's words in his head. _"Takes one to know one. Now tell me… what's going on?"_

"_Rocky wants to talk to Aisha after school." _Adam raised an eyebrow. _"Aisha didn't tell him how she felt though, so we're not sure that's what it's about."_

They both heard him groan loudly over their link. _"Aisha, come on!"_

"_Look! Things just got in the way, okay? I had volleyball practice, class president stuff, National Honor Society… not to mention the history project. It eats up time."_

"_Blah blah blah blah blah," _said Kim softly. _"You punked out."_

Aisha groaned. _"No I didn't."_

Adam shook his head. _"You totally did, 'Sha."_

She slumped forward on the desk. _"It's not as easy as you guys seem to think it is, okay? Kim, you know it's hard. You went through the same thing with Tommy. And mine is way worse because I've known Rocky since we were toddlers."_

Adam rolled his eyes. _"Aisha, no one's asking you to propose to Rocky. Just tell him how you feel."_

She glared at him. _"Coming from the guy who can barely string two words together to ask out my cousin…"_

Adam felt his face grow hot.

Kim snickered. _"She's got you there, buddy. Tanya's probably gonna wither away by the time you open your mouth to ask her out."_

He fidgeted uncomfortably, the tables turned on him. _"Look, we're not talking about me right now. We're focusing on Aisha, right? Who needs to go ahead and make a move on Rocky."_

Kim nodded to Aisha's dismay.

"_I may not have to…"_ she mumbled. Kim and Adam shared a look. _"I think…I think earlier this morning, Rocky was going to kiss me. At least it seemed that way."_

Kim's eyes widened comically and Adam grinned. _"He's gonna go for it, Aisha."_

Kim couldn't agree more.

Aisha sighed. _"That's what I'm afraid of."_

_

* * *

_

**Gymnasium**

**Angel Grove High School**

**10:26 AM**

Billy watched in amusement as Tommy sank another three-point shot into the basket.

Tommy Oliver was playing Jacob Donaldson in one-on-one basketball in the last half hour of gym class. The same Jacob Donaldson that tried to talk to Kimberly last week. Billy knew Tommy wasn't a big fan of basketball - though he was a pretty good player - but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to beat Jacob in a game in front of his friends.

When Tommy offered to play Jacob in a game of basketball, Billy could only roll his eyes. He really could hold a grudge.

Tommy was up five points; well, eight with his last shot. He was sweating profusely, eyes on Donaldson like a hawk. Dribbling quickly, Tommy moved around Jacob, shooting the ball to score three more points.

Jacob wiped his forehead, the sweat trailing down his tanned face and into his eyes. He knew Tommy only wanted to play him because he was pissed about the whole Kimberly thing. It was an unspoken rule that no one talk to Kimberly Hart. She belonged to Tommy; always had, always would.

"I got 29 to your 18, J." Tommy watched Jacob dribble the ball slowly. He lifted his shirt, fanning himself to relieve the heat. "I make another basket, game is over." Jacob rolled his eyes, knowing damn well Tommy was just being an ass by reminding him of the score.

Jacob dribbled the ball between his legs, lining up for a three point shot. Being shorter than Tommy, his shot was easily blocked and the white ranger stole the ball. Tommy ran to the basket, Jacob hot on his tail for the block. Grinning, Tommy jumped up, slamming the ball into the basket for a powerful dunk, knocking Jacob down in the process.

Tommy landed on his feet, standing over Donaldson. "Good game," he stated, reaching out a hand to the fallen boy. Jacob stared at him for a while before slowly grasping Tommy's hand, allowing the taller boy to pull him up. Tommy slapped him on the shoulder. "Anytime you wanna play again, I'm down. Just take this game as a lesson." He walked away from Jacob, who stared at his back in a mixture of shock and irritation.

Tommy sat down next to Billy on the bleachers, wiping his face with his shirt.

Billy didn't acknowledge Tommy's presence, keeping his attention on the book he was reading.

"Feel better now that you've shown Jacob you're the bigger man?" he asked, turning a page.

Tommy looked at him sharply. "No," he admitted.

Billy nodded. "Didn't think so."

Tommy stared at his friend. "Billy, what the hell? We're in gym, man. Why are you reading a book?"

Billy stopped reading, looking at his friend with a smirk. "You mean why am I reading instead of making an ass out of myself by challenging another guy to a basketball game, simply because he spoke to my girlfriend… who is not remotely interested in him?"

Tommy considered his words. "Billy?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut the hell up." Billy grinned, blue eyes scanning the contents of his newest quantum physics book.

Billy watched as Tommy proceeded to stretch out along the bleacher, opting to take a nap until class was over. Billy raised his eyebrow at this. The game should've gotten Tommy energized, not drain him. He peered, studying his friend closely.

To say the friendship between Billy and Tommy was a surprise to most would be the understatement of the century. The two young men were not just friends, but best friends. The friendship could certainly be considered unconventional, but it worked for them.

_Billy Cranston felt a sense of dread fill his body as he walked down the steps into the Olivers' basement. He was there to work on an English project with Tommy Oliver, the latest addition to his group of friends. Although Billy had not had much experience with girls or had many male friends, he was intuitive enough at fourteen to know that Tommy Oliver was clearly attracted to Kimberly._

_He knew the routine with guys like him. Athletic, good-looking, cocky, getting by because people favored him… they thought they could get any girl and anything they wanted. Billy shook his head. That was why his only guy friends were Jason, Adam, Zack, and Rocky. Well, at least that _was_ the case, until Jason's family moved away to the base over near Marysville and Zack was sent off to boarding school in New Hampshire. It was just his luck to lose people just as he was getting to know them._

_Ever since they started high school, guys had been hitting on Kimberly nonstop. Aisha had already been getting it since she was eleven, having developed at a much younger age. Just the thought of Aisha becoming a woman made Billy's ears burn. Kimberly, however, was still quite skinny and a little awkward in school. She had always been a pretty girl, but her lack of hips and nearly flat chest did not make her as appealing as Aisha in junior high. The brief acne outbreak in seventh grade failed to help matters either._

_And then the summer before high school hit. Billy had always heard the expression of a girl blossoming into a young woman, but never understood what it meant until he saw Kimberly on the first day of school. She had spent the summer with her father on the east coast, so no one had seen her for those three months. Whereas before Kim was always treated like one of the guys, it was now painfully obvious she was not in the slightest a guy at all._

_With the loss of Jason and Zack, Adam and Rocky were left to defend Kim and Aisha from the lecherous boys of AGHS, a job Rocky took seriously being an older brother already. Billy himself was not a fighter, though he too would be annoyed at the obvious gazes from the guys in the hall. Many had tried to join their group of friends, hoping that by being friends with the boys, the road to Kim and Aisha would be smoother. Plenty had tried; all had failed._

_And now, Billy figured it was Tommy's turn up to bat._

_He stood at the base of the stairs, waiting anxiously for Tommy to acknowledge his presence. The boy sat on the floor, eyes fixated on the screen before him. His hands held a video game controller, and his tongue stuck comically out of the side of his mouth as he rapidly pressed buttons._

"_Hang tight, Billy. You can sit on the couch over there." He pointed with his head, eyes never leaving the game. "I'm almost Super Sonic!" yelled Tommy excitedly. Billy had no idea what the teen was talking about, but quickly moved to sit on the black leather couch._

_He looked around the space. Along the walls were several posters, mostly of Bruce Lee. Billy only recognized him from the various films he had to watch when staying over at Jason or Rocky's house. There was a Pulp Fiction poster on the wall, a Lethal Weapon poster and a few James Bond posters, as well as a picture of a British green 1968 Chevy Camaro Z/28-4 with black stripes. There was a drum set in the corner, a punching bag, some weights, a fridge, and several books on a short bookshelf. Tommy was currently sitting in front of a huge 42" television, his Sega Genesis hooked up and in use._

_Tommy was sitting Indian style on a mat, wearing green sweatpants and a white sleeveless t-shirt. His shoulder length hair was loose and curly, free from its usual strict ponytail._

_Tommy swore softly as Sonic rolled into a set of spikes, his coins flying all over the place. "Stupid ass spike," he mumbled gruffly. Billy watched as a little blue creature ran around the screen, collecting the coins it lost._

_Billy sighed, quickly seeing how this day would turn out. He was used to being partnered with people that expected him to do all the work; it was the story of his life. He pulled out his paper and pencil, starting on the project alone._

"_Have any ideas on what book to do the project on?"_

_Billy looked over at Tommy, confused by his question._

"_Well, there are several we could look at. We have to find a play and figure out how it ties into one of the themes assigned by Mrs. Jackson," stated Billy._

_Tommy rapidly hit the jump button on the screen, swearing softly as Sonic failed to jump high enough to reach the moving platform. "Right. So what about Othello or Oedipus Rex?"_

_Billy was pleasantly surprised. "You know about those?"_

_Tommy scowled, pausing the game. "Yes I know about them. I'm not stupid." He hit the start button again, resuming the game._

_Billy flushed. "I never said you were stupid."_

_Tommy rolled his eyes, huffing in irritation. "I was thinking Othello would be good if we focused on deception as a theme. Iago was the master of deception. Kept making himself appear honest when he was only misdirecting and manipulating people." _

_Tommy smiled as Sonic finally defeated the level, his final score being calculated. He placed the controller down. " And Oedipus Rex is one of my favorite plays." He shrugged. "It's a bit twisted, but that's what makes it so interesting. We could focus on inevitability if we looked at Oedipus. It was already told how things would play out to the audience; nothing the characters did could stop the outcome." He shook his head. "Sophocles was a genius." He saved his game, not wanting to have to battle Dr. Robotnik again._

_Tommy stood up, stretching his muscles. He moved to sit on the couch with Billy, looking over at the boy's paper. "Gonna write down what I said?" he asked, slightly annoyed._

_Billy snapped out of his daze. "Sorry," he mumbled. _

_The boys worked together for about an hour. Billy had to admit, begrudgingly, that he was impressed. Tommy was highly perceptive and very smart. It shouldn't have been so surprising, given that he and Tommy were taking many of the same honors courses. So maybe he wasn't a complete idiot like the other boys that vied for Kim's attention…_

_They finished earlier than anticipated. Billy told his father he would be at Tommy's for approximately two hours, but they were done an hour early. Billy couldn't exactly go home either, as his parents had gone to a meeting at City Hall. He was stuck for the time being._

_Tommy walked over to the small fridge across the room. "Want anything? Water?" Billy nodded, and Tommy snagged two Zephyrhills from the bottom shelf. He threw one at the boy in the jean overalls, who barely managed to catch it in time._

_Tommy took a sip before sitting on the mat, doing his daily stretches._

"_You like karate, Billy?" The boy raised an eyebrow. He was waiting for Tommy to try and engage him in conversation. They always tried._

"_Not really. I find it interesting, but I have a preference for gymnastics."_

_Tommy nodded. "How long have you been into that?"_

_Billy thought on it. "Going on eight years." Billy was waiting for him to bring Kimberly into the conversation. It was the perfect segue._

"_Cool. I've been doing martial arts for a while, too." Tommy went back to stretching, much to Billy's surprise._

_Seeing Tommy had begun to ignore him and stand to begin a series of punches and kicks, Billy reached into his backpack, pulling out his copy of National Geographic. The issue focused on dinosaurs, a subject very dear to Billy. His brother, Walter, was obsessed with drawing as a kid, and always loved to sketch everything he saw as he was growing up. While in college, Walter would send home sketches to Billy, showing how he was progressing in his art classes. One picture was of a dinosaur, and Billy instantly fell in love with the sketch. Seeing that his baby brother really liked the picture, Walter did a series of sketches on dinosaurs just for Billy, sending him one every few months._

_Billy was too wrapped up in his reading to notice that Tommy had finished his kata and was standing over him. Tommy raised an eyebrow._

"_You like dinosaurs?" Billy jumped slightly, not sensing the other boy's presence. He nodded slowly, feeling his neck get hot from embarrassment. Billy was often teased for reading about dinosaurs in junior high, being told he was a nerd or a loser for liking something only little kids would be interested in._

_Tommy nodded, looking thoughtfully down at the book before walking away and around a corner in the room. Billy watched curiously as he heard shuffling, seeing Tommy coming back over with a large notebook and something in his hand._

_He sat down next to Billy, opening his hand to reveal a black, curved object. "My grandpa brought this for me." He handed it over to Billy, whose eyes widened excitedly. _

"_This is the claw of a Velociraptor osmolskae," he breathed as Tommy nodded. "However did your grandfather acquire this?"_

_Tommy smiled, scratching the back of his neck. "My grandpa's a paleontologist," he said proudly. "He always brings me back cool stuff from his digs. Found this in China a couple weeks ago."_

"_Prodigious," whispered Billy softly. _

_Tommy grinned excitedly. "I got other cool stuff, too." He opened the folder to show Billy its contents. Carefully, Billy set down the fossil to see what Tommy had. Tommy handed over the folder._

"_These are all pictures my grandpa and his team took on their digs." He pointed to one picture of a tall man with a baseball cap on his forehead, smiling as he kneeled over the skull of a T-Rex. "That's my grandpa, Joe Oliver."_

_Billy flipped through the book, amazed at the pictures he was seeing. Tommy would give commentary every now and then, telling Billy interesting facts or stories from his grandfather's travels._

"_I've always been interested in dinosaurs. I spent every summer at my grandparents' house up in Seattle." He smiled. "Grandpa Joe would tell me these stories about his trips and about the dinosaurs back in prehistoric times." Tommy shrugged. "Always thought it was pretty cool."_

_Billy nodded, eyes fixed on the pictures._

"_How'd you get into dinosaurs?" asked Tommy curiously._

_Billy blinked rapidly. "My older brother, Walter." _

_Tommy smiled. "He's a paleontologist, too?"_

_Billy shook his head. "He was in college. Going to be an artist." He sighed. "He's dead now."_

_Tommy looked Billy over, not sure how to respond to that. "Sorry, man." _

_Billy shrugged. "It's fine." He smiled thinking about his brother. "Walter used to send me sketches when he was in school. He did this incredible sketch of a brachiosaurus once. One of the most impressive sketches I've ever seen."_

"_That sounds awesome, man." Billy nodded, reaching into his backpack. Pulling out his science folder, he showed Tommy the picture tucked in the front. "Wow," the older teen said. He was looking at one of the most realistic sketches of a pterodactyl that he'd ever seen in his fifteen years. It was incredibly detailed; the shading was absolutely perfect._

"_This was the last sketch he sent before he was murdered," said Billy softly._

_Tommy looked over at the sandy-haired boy with square glasses. "Your brother was incredibly talented, Billy. You should be proud of that."_

_Billy nodded, his hand running over the sketch idly. "I am."_

"_I'd love to see more of your brother's sketches."_

_Billy shot him a skeptical look, now getting what Tommy was trying to do. "Really? And I suppose this would lead to us being friends."_

_Tommy scoffed. "Look, I know you don't like me, all right? And to be honest, I don't really like you either. I know you think I'm only trying to get into Kim's pants."_

_Billy raised an eyebrow at the older teen's choice of words._

"_I do like Kim, a lot, and I'm not going to insult your intelligence by denying that." He sighed. "But I'm not trying to get to her through you. Really. I just… I haven't found someone that likes this as much as I do besides my grandpa. It'd be cool to have someone to talk to."_

_Billy stared at him._

"_I'm not trying to ease my way into your group of friends or be your best bud. But I don't know, it's-" He huffed, not liking being so honest with Billy. "I kinda had fun talking to you about this today."_

_Billy pondered this. "Well, you are right, Tommy. I don't exactly like you."_

_Tommy raised his hands. "Feeling's mutual, bro."_

"_You're arrogant, rude; rough around the edges, so to speak…" trailed off Billy._

"_And you're a stuck up, condescending, know-it-all," said Tommy with a hint of attitude._

_They stared at each other for a long while before bursting into laughter, tickled by their own silliness. _

_Tommy clapped Billy on the back. "You're all right, man. Still can't stand you… but you're an okay guy."_

_Billy smirked. "I suppose you're not so bad yourself. Much like an acquired taste. Though you could stand to go through some much-needed improvements."_

_Tommy rolled his eyes._

_Billy cleared his throat. "I apologize for offending you if your intention is not to make yourself appealing to Kimberly by trying to befriend me. Based off of my past interactions with guys that have tried to court my friend, it was only natural to assume that's what you were attempting."_

_Tommy stared at Billy, his eyes glazed over. "You talk weird."_

_Billy rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry if what I said is too difficult for you to-"_

_Tommy cut him off with a laugh._

"_Relax, man. I was just fucking with you. I'm not a total dumbass." Billy shot him a look, both for joking and for his use of profanity. "I understood you completely, but you do talk weird."_

_Billy was about to make a sarcastic retort until he heard Tommy's mother calling for him. His father was waiting outside to pick him up. Strangely enough, he kind of wanted to stay a little longer…_

"_Well, Tommy. I must take my leave." He began packing his things. "Our next meeting will be at my house, correct?" Tommy nodded. "I would like to devote some of that time to showing you the sketches my brother made. If you're still interested…" He stood up._

_Tommy looked up at him. "I'd like that a lot. And maybe I can find more stuff around the house my grandpa's left me."_

_Billy smiled."That would be superb." Waving a small goodbye, Billy headed up the stairs._

_Tommy jumped up, rushing to the base of the steps. "Hey Billy?" The blue-eyed teen turned to look back at him. "Just how many guys are trying to talk to Kimberly?" Tommy asked with an edge to his voice._

_Billy rolled his eyes, ascending the staircase. "Later, Tommy."_

The beginning of their friendship wasn't perfect by any means, but it was uniquely them. Tommy annoyed Billy more than any person on Earth, but he knew he could always count on Tommy. And he knew that despite Tommy's seeming dismissal of the things he said, the older boy always took Billy's words to heart, trusting his opinion completely.

"Tommy?"

The older teen peered up at the Billy. "Hmm?" he mumbled sleepily.

"How are the visions?" he asked lowly, not wanting to be overheard. Although neither Tommy nor Kim ever explicitly stated anything about the visions they had, Billy and the others were smart enough to figure it out.

Tommy let out a heavy sigh. "They're getting worse." He ran a hand over his face. "They're getting stronger… more intense…" He sat up. "They're getting harder to resist," he whispered. "When I sleep… that's all I see, Billy. If one of us sees it, the other automatically does." Tommy swallowed. "It's driving me crazy."

Billy studied his friend for a moment. Tommy looked… older. Not mature, just tired. Bags were beginning to form under his eyes. His energy was more drained than usual; Tommy was usually bouncing off the walls, but now he seemed subdued.

"Tommy, how have you been? Physically?"

Tommy shrugged. "I haven't been sleeping well because of this shit with the shard." He shrugged. "I guess I've been a bit slower lately. Sluggish."

Billy had noticed it as well. While sparring in the Youth Center yesterday, Adam managed to make nearly twice as many strikes as usual when fighting Tommy. He seemed out of it, slow to respond to a lot of things. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"Interesting," whispered Billy.

Tommy looked at his friend. "Why do you ask?"

Billy shook his head. "I wonder… I need to talk to Kim. She'll be in the Youth Center after school right?"

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, she wants to do some work on her gymnastics." Tommy looked at his friend. "Billy, what's wrong?"

"Hopefully nothing. I'd like to run a few tests on you and Kim at some point."

Tommy laid back down, groaning in annoyance. "Dammit, Billy. No tests, man. I don't want to have you or Alpha prodding me or Kim with your little weird instruments."

The blue ranger smiled. "I know how much you hate them, but I want to be sure of something." He sighed. "And I really hope I'm wrong."


	7. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note:** And here's part two. Please give feedback. Hope y'all like it!_

* * *

**Angel Grove Youth Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**3:29 PM**

Adam Park pulled his friend Rocky off the floor for the sixth time that day, shaking his head.

"Rocky, you need to focus," said Adam seriously.

Rocky cracked his fingers, getting into his fighting stance again. Ever since he approached Aisha that morning, Rocky had been completely out of it. He nearly set his lab partner on fire in chemistry, read the wrong excerpt in English class, went to the wrong class for precalculus, and was pretty sure he bombed his physics test.

All in all, his day completely sucked.

Rocky blinked hard, his world upside down as he now was staring at the orange ceiling of the Youth Center. Adam suddenly came into view, shaking his head. Rocky made a face before moving to his feet.

"Again."

Adam looked at him. "You crazy? I'm not trying to give you anymore brain damage."

Rocky scowled. "Come on, man. I'm focused."

Adam walked away from him, grabbing his towel from his chair.

"I'd rather not." He reached down, grabbing his water bottle to take a sip of water. "You're not even remotely focused. You're too jumpy about your little talk you're going to have with 'Sha."

Rocky rolled his eyes. "Please. I'm not jumpy because of 'Sha."

Adam shrugged. "Okay, then go talk to her. She just walked in." Rocky's eyes bugged as he turned around, only to see Aisha nowhere in sight.

Adam snickered. "You were saying?" Rocky scowled.

"Not funny." Adam shrugged. "I don't know, Rock. Got a few chuckles out of it."

Rocky rolled his eyes, grabbing his own towel to dry off. Adam looked past his friend, smiling as Kim and Aisha entered the building. Adam looked back at Rocky. "So you're gonna tell Aisha you're in love with her?"

Rocky flushed. "Don't say it so loud."

Adam grinned. "So you _do _love her."

Rocky couldn't help the smile that crept across his face before nodding.

"Well, she's over by the juice bar right now. And she's staring over here." Adam took a long swig of his water.

Rocky rolled his eyes. "The same trick in less than five minutes? I thought you were supposed to be smarter than that." Adam shook his head with a laugh.

"He's not lying, Rocky." Rocky nearly jumped out of his skin as Kimberly appeared behind him in a pink leotard, one of Tommy's jackets around her waist. "Aisha's over there with Ernie waiting on you."

Rocky shot a look at Aisha, waving meekly. She gave him a nervous smile in return.

"Well," he sighed. "Guess it's now or never." He headed over to the yellow ranger.

Adam and Kim watched him leave. She cocked her head to the side. "He's dead," she muttered before moving to the balance beam. Adam merely nodded his head in agreement.

Rocky smoothed his hands over his sweatpants, not wanting to appear gross from how badly his palms were sweating. He grinned as he was within a foot of her. "Hey Aisha." His voice sounded strange to his ears.

She grinned. "Hey."

Rocky looked around. "Can we talk somewhere more private? Like… out by the park?" Aisha nodded, saying goodbye to Ernie before she followed Rocky out of the Youth Center with her backpack, biology book in hand.

Aisha studied her friend as he walked in front of her. She and Rocky had been friends for fifteen years and counting, so she could tell as clear as day that he was about to jump out of his skin from nervousness.

Rocky was jittery. He had asked out plenty of girls before, this should be a piece of cake… except none of them were Aisha Campbell. He was terrified of crossing that line with Aisha, not sure if being more than friends would completely destroy their friendship. At the same time, the idea of being just friends with Aisha for the rest of his life… Rocky wasn't sure he liked the option either. Not if he never tried to be more.

The two found an unoccupied spot in the park and stopped. Rocky turned to face Aisha, opening his mouth to speak before closing it to begin pacing in front of her. He was muttering to himself, and Aisha raised an eyebrow in confusion. He would glance over at her every so often, only to start shaking his head and resume pacing. Aisha could only half understand him, as he spoke to himself softly in a mixture of Spanish and English.

Rocky was sure he looked like a complete lunatic to Aisha. He didn't want to scare her, but he didn't know how to even begin to approach the topic. Running a hand through his hair, Rocky swore softly. Dammit, he was the red ranger of the Power Rangers. He was second-in-command of one of the strongest forces for Good in the galaxy. And here he was, having a freak-out in front of his best friend.

Aisha stared at him before she finally had enough. "Rocky!" He stopped, his eyes wild. "You brought me out here to talk. I'm assuming it was something important." She stood there, giving him a poignant stare, arms wrapped around her bio book.

Rocky stopped, studying her for a few seconds before coming to a decision. _"A la mierda,"_ he whispered before cupping Aisha's face in his hands and kissing her firmly. (Fuck it)

Aisha gasped in shock, though it was muffled under his lips. It took several seconds for the shock to wear off before she began to kiss him back. Aisha felt herself melt under his kiss, her limbs turning to jelly. As a result, the biology book slipped from her arms.

And slammed right on Rocky's foot.

Rocky pulled back from her, letting out a painful groan. _"Hijo de puta,"_ he moaned in agony. (Son of a bitch)

Aisha was stunned, still dazed by the kiss. When she noticed the pain on Rocky's face and the book on the ground, she snapped into action. "Rocky!" she moved towards him. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" The book was extremely heavy, so he had to be in tremendous pain. She looked around, seeing a nearby park bench. She led Rocky over to the bench, sitting both of them down.

"Shit, that hurt, 'Sha."

She glared at him. "I already apologized, Rocky. Plus, it was your own fault." He threw her a disbelieving look. "You kissed me!" Saying the words out loud silenced them both. They sat in awkward silence for a while.

"W-Why did you kiss me?" she asked softly.

Rocky concentrated on his foot, ignoring her gaze. "Why'd you kiss me back?"

She had no response.

Rocky sighed. "Look, Aisha," he began with far more confidence than he actually felt. "I like you. Well, I always liked you. But I mean I really like you… as in _like you _like you." Rocky could kick himself. What was he - seven?

He shook his head. "I have feelings for you, Aisha. Real feelings. I've always felt this way… since I guess we were twelve." Her eyes widened in shock. "I didn't really know what it was at the time, but it only grew stronger as the years went by." He breathed deeply, feeling lightheaded from his confession.

"Why didn't you ever say anything if you always felt like this?"

Rocky winced. "Truthfully? I didn't know until last week." Rocky grabbed her hands. "Aisha, my emotional range is very limited. We both know this." She giggled. "I'm familiar with certain feelings. Others… not so much." His face became serious. "It wasn't until we went to Phaedos that it became clear… when we – when _I _almost lost you."

"I couldn't live with myself if you had died and I never got the chance to tell you how I feel about you." He ran a hand through her hair. "I've been blessed with the opportunity to do that now, and I'm taking it." Aisha stared at their hands.

"I just want to know…do you feel anything for me?" he asked softly.

Aisha laughed, her eyes watery. "You couldn't ask a more stupid question," she sniffed. "I'm crazy about you, Rocky. Always have been." She smiled. "It's ironic. I've been building up the nerve to tell you how I felt, scared you wouldn't return my feelings… and you beat me to the punch."

Rocky smiled. He felt warmth spread through his chest, down his arms and legs. "Thank you for telling me."

Aisha threw him a look. "Please, you had the hard part. Once you said it, telling you was a piece of cake." He laughed. Aisha intertwined their fingers. "Rocky," she whispered. He looked at her. "I'm going to kiss you now."

He grinned, bending down to meet her lips in a soft kiss. They stayed pressed together for a while, and his hand moved to cup the side of her neck. Rocky pulled back, grinning happily.

"I could get used to that," he admitted.

"Me too."

"So does this make you make you my girlfriend?"

Aisha bit her lip. "I don't know."

Rocky stared at her. "You… don't know?" he repeated slowly.

She released his hands. "Just listen to me, okay?" He nodded, trying to remain calm.

"You and I have been friends a really long time Rocky. Since we were practically babies." She took a deep breath. "And even though we have feelings for each other, I'm not sure if pursuing a relationship is worth the risk of our friendship," she finished in a rushed breath.

Rocky thought about what she said. "I get what you're saying, Aisha. Trust me, I agonized this just like you did. But I think we should give it a shot."

Aisha shook her head. "I'm not so sure."

Rocky threw a look her way. "Why are you fighting me on this?"

She stood up. "I'm not fighting you, Rocky. I'm just being realistic. If we started dating, we would more than likely break up." Rocky raised an eyebrow. "I've seen the relationships you've been in, Rocky. None of them lasted long at all, and you don't talk to any of those girls anymore."

He rolled his eyes, knowing this was true. But why couldn't she see she was different?

"I don't want to date you just to have three weeks of fun erase fifteen years of history."

It was Rocky's turn to stand now. "Aisha, it's that very same history that makes us being together different than those other relationships I was in," he stated fiercely. "Those other girls…" he made a face. "I'm not proud to admit it, but I only went with them for superficial reasons. They were pretty faces with nice bodies that were easy."

He shrugged at her glare. "It's not pretty but it's the truth, okay?"

He moved towards her. "I don't feel for you anything remotely close to what I felt for them. They didn't make me smile like you do, 'Sha. They didn't make me angry or happy or drive me insane like you." He grabbed her hands. "They didn't keep me up at night wondering if they were thinking of me just as much as I was thinking of them. That was only you, Aisha. It was always you."

Aisha looked down at the ground, unable to see clearly due to the water in her eyes. "I'm scared of being hurt, Rocky," she whispered. "I'm scared of losing you."

He smiled sadly. "You're not alone, 'Sha. I'm scared shitless just like you, but I'm more scared of never finding out 'what if'." He ran a hand along her cheek. "Don't think on the negative, Aisha. I can't promise you I won't hurt you anymore than you can promise not to hurt me. All I can promise is that I'll give it my best shot."

Aisha closed her eyes as his words washed over her. "I want to be with you, Rocky..."

He opened his arms. "Then you can have me." Aisha stared at him for several seconds before moving slowly, walking into his arms. She brushed a light kiss over his lips before wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. Rocky held her in his arms, his large hands rubbing her back comfortingly.

They had a lot to talk about and several obstacles to overcome, but right then, he felt a lot better about his future with Aisha.

* * *

**Angel Grove Youth Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**4:02 PM**

Adam slammed his fists into the punching bag, executing several combos in rapid succession. He eyed the clock on the wall. It had been about half an hour since Rocky and Aisha had left the Youth Center, and he wasn't sure if he should take the fact that they were still gone as a good or bad sign.

Moving away from the bag, Adam walked over to Kimberly. She was walking along the beam, concentrating on her routine.

Adam stood off to the side. "Rocky and Aisha aren't back yet."

Kim nodded, executing a back flip on the beam. "Yeah, I know."

He took a sip of water from his bottle. "Think she killed him?"

Kim chuckled softly. "Rocky's too loud for a quiet death; we'd have heard the screams." She turned around on the beam, executing three front flips in a row. Her last flip was a bit shaky.

Adam looked up at her. Kimberly looked… tired. Adam peered closely. Her eyes weren't as bright as they usually were; her posture not as graceful.

"Kimmie, you okay?"

She looked at him, confused, before nodding. Kim did a jump, wobbling terribly as she regained her balance.

Adam was now on full alert. "Kim," he said sternly. She moved into a handstand, doing a split with her legs.

"I haven't been… sleeping that well," she admitted hesitantly. Her arms burned as she held her pose, shaking slightly from the exertion.

Adam's eyes widened. "And you're practicing on the beam?" he asked incredulously. She rolled herself upwards, standing fully on the beam.

"Adam, it's fine. Honestly."

He rolled his eyes. "Kim, it's not fine." His voice lowered. "It's because of the visions, isn't it?" Kimberly lost her footing, turning quickly to regain her balance. She said nothing, continuing with her routine.

"Kim, it's all over your face, okay? You need to rest."

She looked at him sharply. "I'd love to Adam, but that's not really a luxury for me right now," she uttered through gritted teeth. He gave her a wounded look.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Just wound up." She moved to the edge of the beam, preparing to dismount. Adam moved quickly, standing near where she would land.

Billy and Tommy entered the Youth Center then, coming to get some smoothies after a particularly rough practice. Tommy got sacked three times, and three of his passes were completely off-target. Coach Madison had to sit him out for a while, letting the rookie quarterback take a turn while Tommy got his bearings together.

Billy pointed out to Tommy that it would be best if they could stop by his garage to run some tests on his abnormal behavior; a suggestion Tommy shot down vehemently. Tommy chalked it up to having an off day and headed instead to the Youth Center, indicating that the subject was closed for discussion.

Billy pointed at Kim on the beam, rolling his eyes as Tommy smiled like a kid at Christmas seeing his girlfriend practicing. Her dismounts were always impressive, and he was glad they managed to catch this one. He gave a nod to Adam, who shook his head. Tommy raised an eyebrow as Adam cocked his head towards Kimberly.

Taking a deep breath, Kimberly began, attempting to execute her most difficult dismount yet, a double back handspring followed by a full twist flip.

Adam watched in horror as Kimberly lost her balance after the second handspring, throwing off her flip completely. He ran forward, catching her as she came crashing down to the ground. She fell back against his chest, her head connecting painfully with his chin. He grunted at the pain.

Tommy and Billy raced over to them, the white ranger well ahead of Billy as he had begun moving as soon as he saw Kim waver in her handsprings. Carefully, he pulled Kimberly off of Adam.

"Beautiful, are you okay?" he asked gently.

Kim shook her head. "Yeah, I just… I don't know what happened." She seemed dazed.

Tommy pulled her to him, encasing her in his arms as she leaned back against his chest. "Thank you, Adam." Adam nodded, holding his chin.

Ernie came over to them with two bags of ice, having seen the collision from behind the Juice Bar. He handed one to Adam for his chin, the other to Tommy for Kim's head. "You guys okay?"

"Affirmative," answered Billy. "Neither seems to have any major injuries. I'm sure these bags of ice will be sufficient. Thank you, Ernie."

The owner of the Youth Center looked at the four teens worriedly before walking away slowly. "Let me know if you need me to call an ambulance or something. I mean it."

Tommy nodded, lips pressed firmly against Kimberly's forehead as he held her to him.

"What happened?" asked Billy.

Adam removed his bag of ice. "Kim was practicing on the beam. I noticed she was a little shaky; her jumps weren't clean like they usually are."

Tommy glared at him. "And you let her stay on the beam?"

"You know as well as I do no one _lets_ Kimberly do anything," he sneered. "She insisted she was okay and wouldn't get off the beam. It's a good thing I had sense enough to stand near her landing spot or this could've been a lot worse."

Tommy took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for jumping down your throat."

Adam waved him off. "I get it, man. You're worried about her."

Billy studied Kimberly as he asked his next question. "She was shaky?"

Adam nodded. "Yeah. She was really wobbly. Shaky limbs." He glanced at his friend. "She said she hadn't really been getting any sleep either."

Billy nodded, shooting Tommy a knowing look. "Anything else?"

Adam shook his head. "Not that I can think of."

He clapped Adam on the back, moving to look at Kimberly. "Kim, can you hear me?" She nodded. "Can you see me?" She rolled her eyes.

"Billy, I'm fine."

"If you're fine, why didn't you land on your feet?"

She said nothing, choosing instead to turn more into Tommy's arms.

"I've just been really tired lately, Billy," she finally replied.

He looked up at Tommy. "Think _now _might be a good time to have those tests?"

Tommy hugged Kim closer to him, ignoring Billy's withering glare.

* * *

**Medical Bay**

**Command Center**

**5:26 PM**

Tommy pulled on his shirt, happy to be finally unhooked from all the machines in the med bay. Billy had run a complete physical on both Kimberly and him. The rangers routinely got physicals every six months and after every mission, so Billy was going to compare it to their readings from the beginning of the year, as well as against their physicals after their mission on Phaedos.

The long-haired teen sat on the cold steel table, annoyed by all the beeping, colorful machines around him. He hated hospitals ever since his grandfather passed. The medical bay was the same; different name, different building, alien technology, but it served the same purpose.

He buttoned up the shirt to his chest, fixing the collar. In his peripheral, he could see Kimberly sitting on the bed nearest to him. He walked over to her, grasping her smaller fingers in his hands.

"Don't you know you're supposed to land on your feet?"

She smiled lightly at him. "Yeah I know. Thought I'd try something new for a change."

Tommy shook his head, resting his forehead against hers.

"Don't scare me like that again, Kim," he whispered softly.

She released his hands, spreading her legs so he could stand between them as she wrapped her arms around his waist. But Tommy pulled away softly, using his hands to push her hair out of her face. "I can't lose you."

"Hey," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere." She pressed a kiss against his lips softly.

Leaning forward, Tommy captured her lips in a soul-stirring kiss. Kim moaned softly, her lips swaying lazily against his as the kiss went on for what felt like an eternity. He cupped her neck in his hands, deepening the kiss as he pressed himself fully against her, and she ran her hands up into his long hair. Their tongues dueled gently with hers, and he moaned as she sucked his tongue gently in her mouth.

Kim pulled away from him with a loud smack. She kissed him again softly before smiling against his lips. "Your tongue should be criminal, you know that?" Tommy laughed outright, heat creeping up his neck.

"Shut up," he mumbled playfully.

She grinned. "I love you," she said as she pressed another kiss against the corner of his mouth.

Tommy looked at her with an unreadable expression. He pressed his lips against her forehead, hugging her to him tightly. "I love you, too," he mumbled against her skin.

On the other side of the medical bay, Billy stood at the computer looking over the results.

"Computer, pull up the physical for the white ranger from the mission on Phaedos." The data appeared on the screen. Billy squinted. "Pull up the data from the mission on the Machine Empire."

Billy looked at the results. "Interesting. Computer, pull up the data from the Greece mission as well as the last scheduled bi-annual physical for the white ranger." Billy's squinted harder, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Computer, pull up the data from the physical run on the white ranger today." Billy rearranged the data in chronological order, eyes widening in shock.

"Computer, pull up all corresponding data for the pink ranger." He waited, rearranging the data for Kimberly in the same order as Tommy's.

Billy's eyes searched the data rapidly, trying to figure out how this escaped their notice. The vitals of his two friends were changing drastically.

Until their mission to Greece, their vitals were normal. After that, however, they began to change… and not for the better. According to their physicals from the Greece mission, all of their vitals were elevated, which Billy would imagine came from being in contact with the shard. Higher blood pressure, higher pulse rate, increased respiratory rate, increased energy level… everything was elevated.

The changes weren't drastic, so there was no real reason for worry.

Their vitals after the Phaedos mission were a bit lower. Their blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate… energy levels for both around 93 percent.

Their most recent physicals, however, had Billy highly concerned. Given their athleticism, they each had a dangerously low blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate. Their energy level had dropped to 81 percent of its maximum.

Their reflexes had deteriorated, both reacting slower than normal. It definitely explained their sluggish behavior: Tommy's terrible practice and Kimberly's fall off the balance beam.

_Something_ was depleting their energy, and Billy had a pretty good idea of what might be the cause.

Both of them were actively fighting against the visions they were having… an understandable reaction but apparently not the best way to handle it. Fighting against the visions was depriving them of more than a just few hours of sleep.

It was depleting them of their energy.

It was literally killing them.

Billy was aware that the visions his friends were having were increasing in frequency and intensity, which would most likely require more energy to fight against. He ran a hand over his face in frustration.

"Computer, approximate when the energy levels of the pink and white rangers will be too low for them to survive, around 50 percent. Assume exponential decay as the model for this rate of depletion. Use this data to find a trend. Print out the results."

The computer made several noises, taking its time to process the data. Billy headed to the printer, removing the sheet once it was done.

He stared at the paper for a long time in barely concealed horror. He muttered the only thing that could sum up what he thought of the results, taking a page from Tommy's vocabulary.

"Oh shit."

Tommy's ears perked up, looking over at the blue ranger in amazement.

"Billy…did you just _curse_?" asked Tommy wide-eyed. Billy would have laughed if the situation was less dire.

"Affirmative. I believe being in your presence for so long has delivered quite a blow to my normally extensive vocabulary. It seems I've regressed and started speaking like you, Tommy, using that barbaric language…"

Tommy grinned. "I knew you'd come around." His smiled dropped. "Is everything okay? It had to be something serious for you to swear." Kimberly looked on in concern from behind her boyfriend.

Billy gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Everything is fine. I simply recalled that I have to help my father with a project in the garage. He wants me to see if I can come up with a practical solution to the 'gas guzzling effect' of the new SUV, short of purchasing a new vehicle." It wasn't a complete lie.

Tommy looked at him skeptically. "And that's why you cursed?"

Billy rolled his eyes. "You do remember how my father was when he first bought his Explorer, correct?"

Tommy winced. He had never seen David Cranston so hyper in all the years he had known him.

Kim spoke up. "So Billy, are we free to go?"

"Affirmative." Tommy helped Kimberly down from the bed, and the two teleported out of the medical bay, happy to leave.

Billy massaged the bridge of his nose, attempting to ward off an impending migraine. These results had to be wrong, but the data did not lie. Of course, to be safe, Billy would require more data to see if the trend he noticed was in fact true.

Quickly, Billy walked to the main control room. Zordon peered down at him. "YES, BLUE RANGER?"

"Zordon, I have a concern." He handed the results to Alpha. "You are aware that Tommy and Kimberly were just here in the medical bay."

Zordon nodded. "YES. THEY WERE HERE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION."

"Correct. Looking over the results of their exams, it appears that Tommy and Kimberly may be…in danger." Alpha paused in his typing.

"IN DANGER HOW?"

Billy crossed his arms over his chest. "I did an analysis on their vitals over the last few missions."

"FOR WHAT PURPOSE?"

"Tommy and Kimberly have both been physically drained as of late. Today, Tommy was extremely tired, falling asleep in nearly every class and was not at all prepared for football practice." He paced the floor. "Kimberly has apparently been suffering from a similar fatigue. She could've seriously injured herself today at the Youth Center due to her lack of focus and energy."

"WHAT WERE YOUR FINDINGS?"

Billy looked up at his mentor. "Zordon, Kimberly and Tommy's vitals have been depleting ever since the Greece mission." He noticed his mentor's expression did not change.

"AND YOU ARE SURE OF THIS?"

Billy looked down. "Well, no. Not entirely. I would require more data to make a true diagnosis, but I imagine any additional data would simply support my hypothesis."

"WHICH IS?"

"Which is that the shard we found in Greece…the one that Tommy and Kimberly made contact with…it's killing them."

The room was quiet save for the light tapping of Alpha's fingers on the keyboard.

"HAVE YOU RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT TOMMY AND KIMBERLY ARE SUFFERING SIMPLY FROM THE NORMAL FATIGUE OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT? OR FROM THE STRESS OF BATTLE?"

Billy made a face. "Forgive me, Zordon, but nothing about our lives is remotely normal. And we've had hundreds of battles in the past. Understandably, we are tired after fighting, but our energy recharges after rest. Their energy has dropped by 12 percent since the Phaedos mission."

Zordon said nothing.

Billy sighed. "Zordon, I'm concerned about them. If their energy continues to drop at this rate…they only have a little over three weeks left."

"BILLY, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN OVER THIS SITUATION. TOMMY AND KIMBERLY ARE HIGHLY VALUED RANGERS, AS ALL OF YOU ARE. HOWEVER, I SEE NO REASON TO BE CONCERNED. IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU COULD FIND MORE DATA TO SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM. IN THE MEANTIME, IF TOMMY AND KIMBERLY ARE FACING AN ENERGY LOSS, THEY CAN SIMPLY USE THEIR ANIMAL SPIRITS TO BOOST THEM."

Billy shook his head. "Zordon, that is not a viable long-term solution to this problem, if it exists. The Ninjetti powers can give us an energy boost, however too much of it is taxing on our bodies. Our organs cannot handle a strain of such energy, and given how their energy is depleting, they will need a significant amount to function as time progresses. You are already aware of this."

Zordon considered his words. "I KNOW, BILLY. BUT AT THE MOMENT, THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE. UNTIL YOU CAN FIND BOTH PROOF AND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS WHAT MUST BE DONE. NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ENDING THIS WAR." His tone indicated that the discussion was over.

Billy's jaw clenched in anger. Alpha walked up to the silently seething teen, handing him the results he printed earlier. Billy balled the paper in his hand, willing himself to calm down, despite Zordon's apparent careless attitude over his friends' condition.

"Here you go, Billy. I hope you find a way to help Tommy and Kimberly," said the small robot.

Billy said nothing, teleporting out of the command center in a flash of blue, paper crumpled in his hand.


	8. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note:** First part of another really long chapter. Second part won't be up for a few days. Decided to be nice and put this up for the holiday. Please read and review. Thanks for the feedback everyone. Hope y'all like it! There are a couple parts with another language being used besides English - the translation is provided at the end of the sentence in parentheses._

* * *

**Adam's Room**

**Park Residence**

**Angel Grove**

**8:22 PM, Tuesday**

"_Hyo, jeonhwa!"_ Jae Park yelled up to his son. (Hyo, phone!)

Hyo Adam Park picked up the phone in his room, covering the mouthpiece as he yelled back. "I got it!" Hearing his father hang up, Adam held the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Well, I was calling to see what the good news was, but someone sounds incredibly moody," Kim teased on the other end. She sounded tired.

Adam sighed heavily. "My mom called today."

"Hmm. And how did that go?" she asked softly. Adam snorted, rolling his soccer ball out from under his bed, kicking it between his legs.

"How do you think?" He heard her sigh on the other end. "It's always the same thing with her. She loves me, wishes she could be here. Tells me about her other kids over in Boston. And then, of course, asks dad for money for her _other _family."

Kimberly could hear the anger in his words, but more importantly, the hurt.

"I'm sorry, Adam. I know you wish things were different with your mom."

He sat down on his bed, leaning back against the wall. "I don't understand her, Kim. What makes her think I want to hear about how much she's enjoying being with her new family? It's like she just got up and forgot about me and dad. Except, of course, when she needs money…" He scowled.

"At least your mom asks for money under the pretense that she wants to talk to you. My dad doesn't even bother," said Kim irritably.

Adam was silent. "I'm sorry, Kim. It completely slipped my mind that – "

She shushed him. "No worries. But on to the good news, please?" She needed to change the subject; she couldn't handle talking about her dad right then.

Adam felt his face flush. "I talked to Tanya today."

Kimberly squealed. "Oooohhh. Start from the beginning."

Adam laughed at her excitement. Tanya Sloan had been the girl of Adam's dreams since he came to Angel Grove. He met her in the seventh grade when his family moved to Angel Grove from Wichita. Adam had been sitting in a corner in gym, attempting to hide under the bleachers from bullies Farkus Bulkmeier and Eugene Skullovitch, who had been torturing him since he moved to California. Unfortunately for Adam, the two had found him and were intent on making him miserable.

He still remembered how Tanya walked up to them, yelling at them for messing with Adam. She ripped them a new one in front of the entire class, sending the two boys running with their tails tucked between their legs.

He had spoken to Aisha's cousin often, having been in several classes together. He thought she was absolutely gorgeous, even though she was a few inches taller than him. Adam had always thought she was a nice girl, but sticking up for him in front of the school bullies made him instantly fall in love.

"I was heading from soccer practice. You know how the track team has practice the same time as us?" Tanya was the fastest runner on the Girls Track and Cross Country Teams at AGHS.

"Mmhmm," said Kimberly.

"I uh… I kinda waited after her practice." He gave a nervous laugh. "She was packing up her things, and I sorta walked up to her. We talked for a long time, Kim."

She smiled, hearing the happiness in her little brother's voice. "What'd you talk about?"

Adam laughed. "I don't even remember. I'm just amazed I didn't choke on my own tongue."

Kimberly laughed outright. "I think we're both grateful for that. So what happened?"

He paused. "She asked me out, Kim."

Kimberly gasped. "Shut up!"

Adam couldn't hide the wonder in his voice. "I'm so serious! She asked if I was doing anything Friday night. Wanted to know if I'd be interested in hanging out. And don't worry, I didn't stutter or anything. I kept it cool just like you told me," he assured her.

Kim grinned. "Adam! This is great news. See what happens when you listen to me?" He rolled his eyes. "I told you talking to her over the course of the year would help. And being there for her after that horrible breakup with Shawn…"

Shawn Robertson was Tanya's ex-boyfriend and a shortstop on the baseball team. It was no secret that Shawn was a complete asshole; his arrogance was enough to grate anyone's nerves, but Tanya liked him enough to look past it. Shawn was also extremely jealous… of Tanya.

Tanya was beautiful, and Shawn both loved and hated that about her. He loved to flaunt to others how he got one of the prettiest girls in school, but at the same time, her being so attractive made him paranoid that she would leave him. Shawn was also jealous of Tanya's success as a student, both athletically and academically. Tanya was State Champion for the 400 meter dash for California for three consecutive years, most likely earning her fourth this year. She was second in the state overall for track and field, and she was a hot commodity for several universities based on that alone. On top of that, Tanya was in the top 10 percent of her class, exceptionally bright and highly motivated. Shawn knew it wouldn't be long before she set her standards a lot higher.

It was a shock to all when Shawn was caught cheating on Tanya at a victory party for the baseball team last spring on the beach. News of Shawn's hookup with the notorious Margarita spread like wildfire across AGHS. Tanya was heartbroken, and Adam wanted nothing more than to beat Shawn into a pulp. Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

Adam scoffed in disgust. "Even hearing his name makes me angry."

Kim giggled. "Down boy."

Adam laughed before his tone became serious.

"I really think this might be it, Kim." Kim simply smiled, finding Adam's excitement absolutely adorable. "I mean, think… she and Shawn are over. We're both going to Stanford in the fall… and we're spending time together this weekend…"

"Adam, slow down. Just take it a day at a time, okay?"

She heard him chuckle. "I know, I'm just –" He paused, seeing Rocky's standing in the doorway. " – really excited." He waved Rocky into the room.

"Hey, Kim, I gotta go. Rocky's here and you know how he gets when you don't pay him any attention." She snickered, and Rocky threw a look in Adam's direction.

"I'll talk to you later, then. Bye!"

"Later." He clicked the off button. "And you are here because…"

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "Oh, it's great to see you, too, Adam! You're looking lovelier than ever." The red ranger rolled his eyes, moving past his friend to sit in the desk chair. Adam closed the door to his room.

"It's Aisha," started Rocky. Adam groaned, falling onto his bed. He leaned over to the side, grabbing his soccer ball before tossing it gently in the air.

"Aw, come on, bro. Don't give me that!"

Adam continued playing catch with the ball. "What happened now, Rock?"

Rocky ran a hand through his short hair. "So Aisha and I…we uh…you know…"

Adam caught the ball midair, looking over to Rocky. "I know what?"

Rocky gave him a pointed stare. "_You_ _know_…"

Adam sat upright, head cocked as if he was unsure of what Rocky had said. "Come again?"

Rocky sighed.

"We took the leap, man… made the big move…" He fidgeted nervously.

Adam stared at him for some time before throwing his soccer ball at the red ranger, slamming it into Rocky's face with every bit of strength he had.

"_Chinga!"_ yelled Rocky at the top of his lungs, surprised by the hit. (Fuck)

"_Hyo? __Museun il-i iss-eossneunji?"_ asked Jae Park from downstairs, startled by the shout. (Hyo? What happened?)

"_Da gwaenchanh abeoji!"_ yelled Adam to his father. (Everything is fine, father!)

"_Hwagsil?"_ he asked in concern. (Are you sure?)

"_Ye." (Yeah)_

"_Gwaenchanh-ayo,"_ replied his dad. (Okay)

Adam turned to his friend, slightly surprised at the blood pouring from his nose. He grabbed some tissues off his desk, handing them to a disgruntled Rocky.

"What the fuck did you hit me for?" he murmured, holding the tissue to his face.

Adam glared. "Are you kidding? You're lucky that's all I did."

Rocky looked shocked. "I didn't even _do _anything!"

"You took Aisha's virginity! Just wait… Tommy's going to murder you," he hissed vehemently.

Rocky stared at him.

"_That's _what you thought I meant?" He mumbled to himself. _"Pinche pendejo. _I was talking about the fact that we started _dating_, dummy." (Fucking idiot)

Adam peered at him. "So you _haven't_ slept with Aisha?"

Rocky glared at him angrily. "What the hell? No, man! We just told each other how we felt a few days ago. Why would we start sleeping together? We're nowhere near ready for that." He removed the tissue, grimacing at how much blood he lost.

Adam sat there for a while, processing this information. "Oh… well, that's great!"

Rocky grabbed the soccer ball off the floor, throwing it roughly into Adam's chest. The black ranger groaned as it hit him hard, leaving him winded.

Rocky smirked at his friend's pain. "I just came over to tell you about it and what's been going on these last few days."

Adam gave him a sheepish look. "Sorry about the…" he trailed off, pointing at Rocky's face.

Rocky just grunted. "It's alright, I guess… At least I know you're protective over 'Sha, even if the guy is me." He removed the tissue, glad to see the bleeding stopped.

Adam raised his eyebrows. "So…"

Rocky blushed. "So remember that day at the Youth Center… when I was supposed to meet to talk to 'Sha?" Adam nodded, listening to Rocky recount the tale of how he asked Aisha out. He left out the less manly parts, of course.

Adam was smiling by the end of his story. "So you finally grew a pair and asked her out?"

Rocky grinned, puffing his chest. "Well, when I turned on the charm, how could she resist all this?"

Adam threw his head back, laughing heartily. "Idiot."

Rocky grinned. "I'm really happy, man. For the first time in a long time I feel…" He struggled to find the words.

"It must be great if it's left _you_ speechless," teased Adam.

Rocky turned red. "Shut up."

Adam's expression turned serious. "So how have the first few days been?"

Rocky shrugged. "Fine, I guess. We're still pretty new. It's kinda strange given that we've known each other for so long as friends; now we're getting to know each other all over again in a new light." He paused. "I'm learning a lot about her."

Adam grimaced, holding up a hand. "And I think it's best you keep this information to yourself."

Rocky laughed. "Understood." He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "So what was it that had you so excited earlier?"

Adam shot him a confused look. "When you were on the phone?" supplied Rocky.

"Oh." Adam grinned. "You're not going to believe it."

* * *

**Basement**

**Oliver Residence**

**Angel Grove**

**8:31 PM**

"You suck."

Tommy grinned at his short friend, throwing down the controller in triumph as he beat her in Street Fighter II again.

"You're just mad because Ryu beat Ken for the sixth time tonight."

Aisha wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. "Whatever, boy. I totally whooped your ass when I played with Guile."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "'Sha, please. You only beat me with Guile because I accidentally clicked on Zangief when the screen popped up. _Anybody_ can beat Zangief, including you."

Aisha smirked. "T, you're doing a lot of this." She mimicked a mouth moving with her hand. "But all I hear is 'blah blah blah blah blah."

Tommy snorted. "Whatever. Play me again with Blanka against Guile. Watch, the outcome will be different."

Aisha was over at Tommy's to work on their calculus homework. Their homework was due on Friday, but since Ms. Stroughton decided to give everyone 100 problems to do, they felt it would be beneficial to start on it early.

Which is precisely why they started playing video games almost ten minutes after Aisha arrived on Tommy's porch.

Aisha walked up to Tommy. "Are you insinuating that you're better than me at Street Fighter?" she asked, poking him in the chest with each word.

Tommy grabbed her finger, grinning. "Aisha, I'm not insinuating anything. I'm _telling_ you I'm better than you. At any game."

Thirty minutes later, Sandra Oliver entered the basement of her house, stepping over the teens on the floor to put more sodas in the refrigerator. She shook her head at the sight of her six foot son and his petite friend lying on their stomachs, rapidly hitting the keys on their controllers. Aisha's face was the picture of absolute concentration, while Tommy's tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he peered at the screen made her chuckle.

She watched as a huge grin graced Aisha's face as she defeated Tommy, his mouth open in complete shock. Aisha stood quickly, pointing down at the taller teen and laughing hysterically.

"So not only did I beat you, but I beat you with _Zangief_ and you had Blanka."

Tommy shot her a look, getting to his feet. "That doesn't mean anything."

Aisha wagged her finger in his face. "It means you got whooped, buddy." She grinned. "I totally own you in Street Fighter."

Tommy sneered as he walked over to take a seat at the table. "You just got lucky. I let you win." Aisha laughed outright, following behind him.

"You're a sore loser."

"And you're a pain in my a–" Sandra Oliver cleared her throat, sending her son a look. Tommy flushed slightly, forgetting his mother was in the room.

"Now that's enough of that, you two. Aren't you supposed to be working on your math homework?"

The teens gave embarrassed smiles, shuffling through their notebooks to begin working. Mrs. Oliver shook her head. "Get to work. And turn that game off." She ascended the stairs, muttering about rude teenagers.

The two worked in silence for forty minutes, the only sound coming from a pencil scratching against paper or the tapping of keys on a graphing calculator. After awhile, Aisha came across a problem she didn't understand.

"Tommy, have you reached number nineteen yet? I'm not sure what they're asking…" She peered at the book in confusion. Hearing no response, she looked up at her friend. "Tommy, did you – "

Tommy had fallen asleep, head resting against his hand, mouth slightly open. His hand was still propped up, pencil in the position to write.

Aisha couldn't stop the smile that crossed her face. "Tommy?" she tried softly. She could hear his faint snores as he continued to sleep.

"T?" she tried again. He kept on sleeping.

Aisha grabbed her calculus book, closing it softly. She turned in her chair, raising the book high in the air before throwing it down forcefully. The book made a loud boom against the floor, and Tommy jerked awake.

Aisha quickly turned back around, looking at him with false sincerity. "Couldn't sleep?"

Tommy shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he yawned. "Sorry. I think I dozed off."

"You did," she confirmed. "You've been doing that a lot lately."

Aisha recalled the story Rocky had told her of chemistry class on Friday. Tommy had fallen asleep, hair tied back in a strict ponytail. His mouth was wide open, and Rocky was doing his best to throw small balls of paper into the older teen's mouth. Several of the students in the back of class were laughing at Rocky's antics.

Tommy was well beyond tired, devoting his energy on not giving into the temptations of the visions. He and Kimberly had a long talk the other night about the problem and had agreed that they were strong enough to fight but needed to keep their distance. They just didn't know it would be so hard…

Tommy's lab partner, Margarita, noticed his lack of participation and decided to use his nap as justification to wake him up in her unique way. While Margarita filled the flask with water, she slowly trailed a hand up Tommy's left thigh. The teen was oblivious, resting peacefully on his stool. It was only when Margarita firmly grabbed Tommy's crotch did he jerk awake violently, knocking over the flask and another container of liquid. The two substances reacted violently, setting fire on the desk in front of Margarita, frightening the girl.

The class was evacuated immediately.

"I didn't mean to set the lab on fire," defended Tommy. "Margarita deserved it though, for groping me."

Aisha raised an eyebrow. "I did _not_ know she did that."

Tommy scowled. "Yeah, that's what woke me up. Bet she won't try that again. Kimberly wants to murder her."

Aisha made a face. "I don't blame her. I'd wanna hurt any woman that thinks it's okay to feel up on my man."

Tommy grinned. "So that's how you're going to be with Rocky from now on?" He laughed at her flustered look. "You should… it's incredibly sexy to a guy when his woman defends him like that. When she gets all riled up."

Aisha gave him a curious look. "Really?"

Tommy nodded. "Well, for me it is, at least. I'm not saying you should be super paranoid, you know, hunting down any girl that dares to speak to him." He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "But every now and then, making it known that he's your man… I have to admit it's kinda nice."

Aisha considered this. "Then there's a good chance Rocky will be very happy."

Tommy smiled. "How are things going for you guys?"

Aisha sighed. "Honestly?"

Tommy shrugged. "As honest as you want to be."

"It's going really really… well," she stated, confusion in her voice. Tommy raised an eyebrow.

"I take it you expected something different?"

"Well yeah, I guess." She ran a hand through her braids. "I mean admittedly, I thought things were going a little fast in the beginning…"

Tommy leaned forward. "Do I need to talk to Rocky?" His tone was serious and a tad threatening.

By 'talk to,' she knew Tommy actually meant 'beat up.' The thought of Tommy pummeling Rocky made Aisha giggle. Tommy was a tad overprotective of the women in his life, and Aisha was no exception.

It was through Kimberly that Aisha and Tommy began talking to each other. Kim's attraction to the new loner of Angel Grove made him the topic of conversation for months. Aisha got the appeal physically – Tommy was gorgeous in that brooding recluse way; she just happened to like her men a little less… mute. The teen barely spoke freshman year, and for Aisha, growing up with a talkative guy like Rocky made Tommy seem highly abnormal.

It was only in the last year that she and Tommy really began to talk. They went from Kim's best friend and boyfriend to something-like-friends to a strange friend/sibling relationship. Although he would never admit it, Tommy had been terrified that what happened to Aisha on Phaedos would ruin their growing friendship, but the petite teen had put his fears to rest. Tommy had grown to care for the yellow ranger, seeing a lot of Kim and himself in her. For Aisha, it was nice to learn more about Tommy besides being Kim's boyfriend or the hot quarterback; he was actually a pretty cool guy.

"It's fine, Tommy. Rocky hasn't pressured me into doing anything." He sat back slowly, arms crossing over his chest. "What I meant by fast was that we just sorta jumped headfirst into this relationship, you know? One day we're best friends, the next, we're dating."

Tommy laughed. "You were expecting more of a build-up?"

She nodded. "Exactly."

Tommy snorted. "Aisha, you do realize that build-up already happened, don't you? You and Rocky have been dancing around each other for years. Even before I moved to Angel Grove, from what Adam and Kim say. You guys have been doing the 'slow build-up' since the beginning, 'Sha. You've just been calling it friendship." His knowing stare was unyielding.

She groaned. "You sound just like Billy."

"And he _is_ always right… despite how annoying that may be." He rolled his eyes.

She shot him a look. "Don't get me started on him."

Tommy smiled. "But you guys are good?"

She thought about it. "Yeah, Tommy… we really are." Her tone became soft. "He's taking things slow, letting me set the pace. He's really sweet and patient with me." She pulled her legs up, hugging them to her chest. "I know he's had a lot of experience dating and with girls but…"

Tommy cut her off. "Those other relationships can't touch what you have with Rocky. If he's as smart as I think he is, he knows he's found more happiness in these last few days with you than he had with all those other girls combined."

Aisha smiled at this. The one thing she appreciated most about Tommy was that he was unable to tell a lie. He didn't have the patience, motivation, or memory to lie, so everything he said, you knew he honestly meant.

"Thanks, Tommy."

He gave a small shrug. "It is what it is."

Aisha's expression became serious. "It's scary to think how much I really want this… how much I really want us to work," she admitted. "I'm afraid it's going to just-" She snapped her fingers. "Disappear."

"Then don't let it," he said gruffly. "Aisha, you're one of the most determined people I know. When you want something, you know how to get it. You want this relationship with Rocky?" She nodded. "Then make it work. Keep it simple and don't worry about things outside of your control." He smiled.

"You make it sound so easy," she mumbled.

"It can be." Aisha said nothing for some time.

"Enough about me; how's everything with you?" she asked.

Tommy sighed. "I think I may be sick or something. And I either got it from or gave it to Kim. We've both been extremely tired lately. It's like we don't have the energy to do much of anything anymore," he admitted.

"I heard about Kim's accident last week. That must've been terrifying for all of you."

Tommy grimaced. "Had me scared shitless. If Adam hadn't been there…"

"But he was," she said firmly.

"Yeah," said Tommy softly, staring off into space.

Aisha studied her friend for some time, before dropping her voice to a low whisper. "You really think you guys may be sick… or something?" He heard the skepticism in her voice.

Tommy's eyes connected with hers. "Or something."

* * *

**Garage**

**Cranston Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**2:12 AM**

William Cranston peered sleepily at the monitor before him, his eyes slightly red from exhaustion. Billy had been studying the physical examinations of Kimberly Hart and Tommy Oliver for the last few months. Each time he came up with the same explanation.

The shard was making them weaker.

Billy knew that another physical would be needed in order to determine if his hypothesis was true. But the likelihood that Tommy or Kim would come willingly to have another physical after just having one last week was very low.

Still, Billy needed this information. He sighed irritably, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.

That day was a particularly bad practice in football. Billy had been doing drills with the Special Teams, working on his kicking with the net. He saw Tommy on the field, his stance indicating that he was extremely pissed. Offensive coach Jackson had informed Tommy that he would not be playing for the rest of the spring season if he kept performing so horribly in practice. Tommy tried to argue that he was fine, but coach would hear nothing of it.

The white ranger sat on the bench for the rest of the day, sulking angrily until practice was over. No one dared to speak to Tommy, fearful of how he would react.

Billy couldn't blame coach for benching Tommy; he was hardly focused. He fumbled the ball at least ten times, was sacked repeatedly, and hadn't thrown a single good pass all afternoon. Billy could see that Tommy was suffering from fatigue; the visible bags under his eyes and his delayed reaction to stimuli were evidence of this.

Billy shook his head violently, willing himself to stay awake. Walking over to the nearby bench, Billy took a sip of some of the coffee he made earlier. It was lousy, but it kept his eyes open.

Turning back to his computer, Billy examined the physicals of the other rangers on the team. He, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha all had consistent vitals. He compared each to Tommy and Kimberly, and the same conclusion was reached.

Given the fact that all six of them had been under similar stress and fought in the same battles, coming out relatively unscathed, their vitals should all be consistent. The only two who were anomalies were Tommy and Kimberly, and their physical condition began to deteriorate after the mission in Greece.

All of them went to Greece, but only those two touched the shard. Billy was sure that had to be the reason.

But what if he was wrong? What if this was simply a result of the stress of being a teenager? Tommy _was_ under a lot of pressure about the tournament coming up at the end of the year. Tommy would be flying to Okinawa during the summer to compete in an international karate competition. He had been training all year for it, and given that their senior year was coming to a close, Billy knew his friend had to be nervous. Even more pressing, Tommy was preparing to qualify as a fifth degree black belt in karate, something he had only hoped of accomplishing. And Kimberly had her state gymnastics competition in a few weeks over in Los Angeles. Kim was excited to represent Angel Grove at the competition and was determined to bring home first place.

Coupled with the fact that high school was coming to a close... maybe Zordon was right. Graduation was only a few months away, and with Tommy headed off to MIT to pursue a degree in earth, atmosphere, and planetary science and Kimberly to Johns Hopkins for biology… they both _could_ just be having a physical reaction to their impending separation.

As Billy sat to think on this possibility, he became more and more agitated.

There was no way stress was what had Tommy and Kimberly in such a state. They fought intergalactic beings on a regular basis since the age of fifteen. They were seasoned rangers – simple matters like competitions and college could not possibly be getting to them this much.

But then again… going into the real world could be the source of their problem. They couldn't be rangers forever. Billy knew there would be a time when all of them would have to give up the mantle, go out into the real world and live a normal life. Or at least as close to normal as could be given the invisible scars they wore that would undoubtedly leave them jaded as adults.

Maybe that was it. It was entirely possible that Tommy and Kimberly were simply succumbing to the inevitable.

The things they saw – the things they _did_ – maybe it was finally taking its toll on the white and pink rangers. Three years of constant fighting, battling monsters capable of incredible destruction; taking lives in order to save lives… Perhaps the strain of being a ranger was finally causing the two to slowly break down, and this energy drain was a possible physical manifestation of their struggle of being a ranger.

Billy ran his hands over his face.

But there was something about Zordon's reaction…

Billy became suspicious when Zordon repeatedly withheld information from them about the shards. Their mentor had always been honest… or at least, they had thought so in the past. Zordon was keeping things from them – important things – and expecting them to follow blindly without thinking twice.

Billy grew angry at the thought. Didn't he know them better than to lie to them? As far as Billy was concerned, a lie and an omission of the truth were one in the same. If Zordon had simply told them from the beginning how the war started or even what the shards would do if they were touched…

He begrudgingly had to admit their fault in this whole thing. Even though Zordon was the one to withhold information, the rangers never pressed him for answers. Thinking back on it, there were always unanswered questions, gaping holes that needed to be filled from Zordon's stories. They never once thought to investigate, question his answers or authority, question the war; they just went along with it without thinking for themselves.

Billy was sure that Zordon was telling the truth about fighting for Good, and he believed his tale of the Imanyd Shards. He knew his mentor was only doing what he thought was right and was determined to correct the wrong s of his people and end the war. He knew that Zordon's constant exclusion of pertinent details was to protect the mission, to insure that the war was ended by any means necessary.

And apparently at the expense of his rangers if he deemed it necessary.

Billy was still incensed by Zordon's suggestion to recharge Tommy and Kimberly with the Ninjetti powers. Zordon knew full well that too much power could kill them, and given their fragile state, Billy was terrified to see what happened to them when the energy boost wore off.

It actually unnerved Billy how quickly Zordon brought up the idea of using the Ninjetti powers to energize Tommy and Kim. He had anticipated Zordon to be concerned, to put some thought into how to help the ailing teens. Now that Billy thought back on it, he hardly hesitated in suggesting it.

Almost as if he had anticipated it.

Billy replayed his last conversation with Zordon in his head. Zordon's reaction to everything was extremely calm: the stoic expression, the lack of surprise at their failing vitals, the easy suggestion of how to fix their energy depletion. The looks between Zordon and Alpha, as if there was more than what was being said…

Billy's eyes narrowed dangerously.

He _knew _this would happen.

"Son of a…" He growled lowly at the end of his sentence.

Billy laughed mirthlessly, ending on a choked sob. Zordon _knew_ this was going to happen from the beginning, but he said nothing. He had to have known from the beginning that shard would have an effect on the two rangers, but he never told them.

Billy took a shuddering breath, grabbing a wooden block off the bench. If this was true, that meant Zordon should also know what would happen to Kim and Tommy if the effects of the shard were to continue. But seeing as how Zordon failed to acknowledge that he knew this would happen to them, Billy doubted Zordon would reveal the long-term effects of the shard.

He would keep them in the dark. Again.

Billy threw the block in frustration, not paying attention to what it struck. He jumped when he heard a crash at the other end of the bench; the block struck a box of screws that now lay in front of the door to the house, scattered everywhere. Sighing, Billy walked over, picking up the fallen screws.

While on the floor, Billy noticed a crumpled piece of paper that was resting against the back leg of the bench. He picked it up, opening it in curiosity. His expression saddened as he realized it was the results of the physical exams he looked over at the command center. As soon as he teleported home that day, Billy threw the paper down in anger, rushing into the house and upstairs to his room. He forgot about the paper over time and realized in his carelessness, this could have been seen by anyone, including his father.

Sighing, Billy began to crumple the paper back up but not before noticing something that was on the bottom of the page. Scribbled on the bottom were four rows of random numbers and letters.

49 56 41 4E 4F 4F 5A 45 44 45 41 54 48.

54 52 55 54 48.

53 45 43 52 45 54.

4E 49 4E 4A 4F 52.

Billy raised an eyebrow in confusion. That was _definitely_ not there before.

Billy peered at the handwriting. It seemed rushed, as if in a hurry. Not printed from a computer.

Computer…

"Alpha!" said Billy excitedly, remembering that the small robot was the only other person to handle the results. Billy moved to take a seat, forgetting the screws that remained on the floor.

"Alpha wrote this on the paper; it has to be some type of code," he murmured, blue eyes scanning the sheet rapidly.

Billy set the paper down, mind working a mile a minute. Alpha could clearly speak and read English, and Billy naturally assumed the robot could write in it as well. But he chose to write this code, this message, in numbers.

The only reason a person would write in code would be to keep it hidden. Alpha didn't want someone to know.

Zordon.

Billy stared at the numbers. "Alpha is a walking, talking fully functional robot. He can speak English like the rest of us… but inherently, he's a computer running a program." Billy quickly moved, grabbing his backpack to get a sheet of paper and a pencil.

"Programs function by using code," he mumbled, writing quickly on the paper. "That's always the case. Java, Perl, HTML… everything is in code." Billy sat back. "But Alpha wouldn't use those languages; they were invented by humans, centuries after he was already built." Billy often spoke aloud when attempting to solve a problem; it helped him process what was going on.

An idea sprang to him. "But certain codes should always exist, in theory. Like binary…" He looked at the numbers on the paper. "There appear to be no 1s or 0s in this message to indicate that it is binary." He sighed.

Billy began tapping the pencil rapidly against the bench, staring at the numbers. "Alpha wouldn't write in a language I'm not familiar with, nor would he write in one he doesn't know fluently." He crossed his arms over his chest, mind at work.

After a few seconds of pondering, Billy gave a startled laugh. "Hexadecimal. Of course."

Billy quickly turned over the sheet of paper, listing all the letters of the alphabet. Next to them, he put their respective hexadecimal number equivalent. Billy rewrote Alpha's message at the bottom of the sheet, and then proceeded to write the letter under its corresponding number. After a few seconds, Billy looked confusedly at the message on the page. The first line was jumbled together, and Billy separated the letters into separate words. He stared at the resulting message.

IVAN OOZE DEATH.

TRUTH.

SECRET.

Billy was now mystified. He knew vaguely of Ivan Ooze. The being had previously possessed one of the shards, dying with it in his possession in the Arctic Circle. The shard at his grave was the first retrieved by the rangers. But how a being that died nearly two centuries ago was related to what was happening between Tommy and Kim was beyond Billy.

The last line of code shined a light on the situation.

NINJOR.

Billy raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."


	9. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note:** Second half of the long chapter. Thanks for the amazing feedback. This is a nice long chapter for you guys, since the next update won't be for awhile. Please read and review. And as a warning, this chapter is rated M for a reason... Hope y'all like it!_

* * *

**Hallway**

**Angel Grove High School**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Friday, 7:44 AM**

Kimberly Hart yawned as she put her chemistry and history books inside her locker. She wanted nothing more than to crawl back into her bed and go to sleep. She was up pretty late, working on history with Adam and Tanya followed by talking until about midnight on the phone with Aisha.

Kimberly stood on the tips of her toes as she reached for her copy of _King Lear_. She and Rocky were using it together, and it appeared that once again, the red ranger conveniently forgot that Kimberly was 5'2" and not 5'8" like him. As Kimberly stretched to reach far back into the top of her locker, she was positive Rocky did it on purpose.

Asshole.

"Let me help you with that," a baritone voice said softly in Kimberly's ear. She felt him press behind her, reaching up to grab the book. Kimberly smelled his heavy cologne, rolling her eyes.

Turning around quickly, she pushed him back from her, grabbing the book out of his hand.

"Your help wasn't needed," she said tightly. Jacob Donaldson looked down at her in amusement. He scanned Kimberly's body slowly, eyes raking over her body in those formfitting jeans and black sweater. He lifted a hand to rest against the locker, leaning into her personal space.

Jacob Donaldson was actually a very attractive guy. He had the typical look – blond hair, blue eyes, chiseled jaw, and athletic body. Unfortunately for Jake, Kimberly wasn't looking for typical.

She had already found extraordinary. And his name was Tommy Oliver.

"Jacob, look. You're probably a nice guy, but you need to back up. I don't like you being so close to me." Truthfully, Kim felt like she was going to hurl; his cologne was making her nauseous.

He sighed. "Kim, look. Tommy's not around, okay? Can't we just talk?"

Kimberly felt her body tense up; not because of Jacob's presence but because she could feel Tommy standing down the hall. She could feel him staring at them, and silently prayed Tommy didn't come over and kill this boy.

"Jake, you need to leave," she said firmly. He shook his head, raising his hand to push some hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear.

"_I'm going to fucking kill him,"_ Tommy's voice boomed in her head. She winced slightly.

"_Baby, you need to calm down."_

"_Kimberly, he's __**touching**__ you."_

She took a deep breath, grabbing Jacob's hand. "Look. You're making a mistake, okay? The only reason you're even over here is to get back at Tommy for embarrassing you in basketball."

Jacob flushed. He had hoped Kimberly hadn't known about that. He tried to play it off, rolling his eyes. "Water under the bridge. I just want to get to know you." He sent a charming smile her way. "As a friend, of course." He grabbed her hand, running his thumbs over her knuckles. "What do you say?"

Kimberly moved close to him, leaning up to whisper in his ear. "I say you have about ten seconds to get away from me before Tommy kills you. He's down the hall and headed this way." She leaned back, smiling sweetly.

Jacob paled, looking to his right to see Tommy Oliver headed straight for him. Quickly, he muttered goodbye to Kimberly before running down the hallway. Tommy was about to quicken his pace, but Kimberly stood in his way. She grabbed his hands interlocking them with hers.

"You look incredibly sexy in green…" she murmured, nuzzling her face into his chest. He was wearing a green ribbed sweater with dark blue jeans. Tommy snorted, moving to press a kiss to her temple. Kimberly tugged on his hands, walking them over to her locker. She wrapped his arms around her waist, loving the feel of being in his embrace.

She turned in his arms upon reaching her locker, resting her back against it. He was still tense. Gently, she reached up, cupping his face.

"I'm fine, okay? Jacob didn't do anything, and he certainly doesn't mean anything." She smiled up at him. "I'm fine. _We're_ fine." She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his.

Tommy let out a groan as her lips swayed against his. They had decided to minimize the amount of physical contact between the two of them, not wanting to set anything in motion that they couldn't control. It pained Tommy not to hug or kiss his girlfriend when he wanted.

She pulled back from him slowly, her eyes closed. Slowly, she opened them, looking into his dark eyes.

"I missed this," she said softly.

"I missed _us_," he stated. His relationship with Kim had begun to suffer due to the shard. The two of them rarely spent time together alone lately, afraid of what might happen. Their visions were coming so frequently as of late…

She sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I hate this."

Tommy rested his forehead against hers, his arms firmly around her petite frame. "I hate what this is doing to us. Either way we don't have a choice – give into the visions or stay away from each other." Tommy closed his eyes.

Kim grew angry, pissed at what they were suffering through. She leaned back from him, staring up into his eyes. "Tommy, I –" The bell rang.

Tommy groaned in irritation, while Kim rolled her eyes. He extricated himself from her. "I guess I'll see you later?" he asked, backing up to go to class.

Before Tommy turned around completely, Kimberly's hand shot out, fisting his shirt. Turning him to her, she pulled him down, slamming his lips into hers. Tommy moaned, wrapping his arms around her body. Kimberly slid her hands to rest on the sides of his face, coaxing his lips open as she slipped her tongue inside his mouth. Tommy pressed her against the lockers, his tongue fighting hers powerfully for dominance.

To anyone walking past the two teens, it seemed as if Tommy and Kimberly's lips were fused together. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, her left leg hooked around his hip. Tommy's right leg was wedged between Kim's thighs, and she unconsciously ground herself against him.

She pulled back from him as she felt the familiar sensation of an oncoming vision, fighting against it with all her might. Tommy felt it as well, concentrating his energy on keeping the visions at bay. Tommy was breathing hard, adrenaline pumping through him from that kiss.

"Damn," he breathed. "That was nice."

Kim didn't know what had come over her. She just needed to be close to him, to feel him. She hadn't intended to kiss him like that. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw Principal Kaplan headed their way.

Letting out a small squeak, Kimberly pushed Tommy away from her, whispering to him to run. He nodded, straightening out his clothes. Before leaving, he tilted her head upwards, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Biting her lip, Kimberly came to a decision.

"My house. Tonight. 9 o'clock."

Tommy began to walk away from her.

"Your mom's not gonna let me come over that late, Kim," he reminded gently.

"My mom's not home for the weekend."

He paused in his step.

From his facial expression, Kimberly was sure Tommy understood _exactly_ what she meant.

* * *

**AMC Universal Cineplex**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**6:43 PM**

Rocky Desantos was nervous.

He was at the movies, his girlfriend in the seat to his right.

It still felt weird to call Aisha his girlfriend after so many years of being just friends.

Rocky sat awkwardly in his chair, as _Bad Boys_ began to play in the theater. The lights dimmed, blanketing everyone in darkness.

Rocky, Aisha, Billy, and Trini decided to go on a double date. The plan was to see a movie followed by getting a quick bite to eat at Wendy's. In the row in front of him, Billy sat off to the side with Trini, his arm resting comfortably around her shoulders. Trini's head lay against his shoulder as the two shared a bucket of popcorn.

Aisha sat beside Rocky, legs crossed at the knees. She wore a denim skirt that stopped just a few inches above her knees. With it, she had on a red halter top; her braids hang loosely about her shoulders. Her eyes were fixed on the screen, giving Rocky the opportunity to study her.

Rocky never thought in a million years he'd actually have the balls to ask Aisha out. It was odd for Rocky to feel that fear about dating a girl. He had been with so many… Katherine, Crystal, Melissa, Denise, Chandra, Hayley… _Margarita_…

He shuddered at the last one.

Rocky had more than enough experience with women, but nothing prepared him for this. Aisha sat beside him, cool and calm, and here he was, sweating like he ran a marathon.

Rocky ran his sweaty palms over his jeans. His left leg began to bounce.

He looked over at Billy and Trini. The blue ranger was running a hand up and down the Vietnamese girl's arm, pulling her closer to him.

Rocky rolled his eyes. As if it weren't bad enough that he was a nervous wreck… Billy Cranston was having better luck with Trini than he was with Aisha.

That was completely unacceptable. _He_ was supposed to be the ladies man.

Rocky turned, poking Aisha in the arm. She looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"I'm going to the concession stand. Want anything?" She shook her head, watching as he left the theater.

Aisha waited until Rocky rounded the corner before letting out a deep breath, resting her head back against the seat.

Why was this so difficult?

She knew Rocky well enough to know he was about to shit bricks the entire time he sat next to her. His anxiety began to transfer to her after awhile, forcing Aisha to concentrate on maintaining a relaxed outward appearance.

But on the inside? The butterflies were swarming.

The nervousness coursing through Aisha slowly transformed to irritation. She sat back with an annoyed sigh as the thought hit her.

This was _Rocky_.

Rocky had never _once_ in the past made Aisha nervous or even slightly uncomfortable. She always felt secure with Rocky around, never anxious. Ever since she could remember, Rocky always made her feel safe.

_Six-year-old Aisha Campbell sat on the swing at the park down the street from her house. Her father, Malcolm, had finally caved and allowed the tiny child to play at the park for the afternoon. She had behaved so well the other day when she went to her father's office that he felt she had to be rewarded. _

_But this Friday afternoon, the little girl was not enjoying herself. The only people there her age were her neighbor Billy Cranston and some boys from further up the street that she didn't know. Kimberly and Trini had been there earlier, and the three girls played for some time on the monkey bars, but Kim had to leave for gymnastics and Trini for Kung Fu practice a few minutes ago._

_Without them there, Aisha was once again bored._

_She looked over at the sandbox, watching as Billy collected a small bucket. Curiously, Aisha walked over to the small blond boy in jean overalls. He looked up at her when she got near him, blinking rapidly at her behind his square glasses._

"_Whatcha doin', Billy?" she asked. He smiled brightly._

"_Digging for dinosaurs," he said in a matter of fact tone._

_Aisha's eyes brightened. "You really think there are dinosaurs down here?" she asked excitedly. _

_Billy grinned at her. "My dad bought me some books about dinosaurs. It says that people find their bones…" He paused. "Their _fossils_," he corrected, "by digging in the ground where they once lived."_

"_And you think they lived in Angel Grove?" Her eyes were wide._

"_Affirmative." _

_He had heard Spock use the word on his father's favorite TV show, Star Trek. He loved watching the old tapes his dad had of the series, and Billy wanted to be just like the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise. He figured talking like him would be a good start in accomplishing that goal._

_Aisha made a face at the word he used, and Billy flushed. "It means yes." She smiled in understanding._

"_Can I help?"_

_Billy looked at her in surprise before smiling brightly, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Of course." He made room for her in the sandbox, and she sat beside him, beginning to dig._

_The two worked on removing the sand from the pit, chatting happily about the different dinosaurs they might find._

"_Wouldn't it be cool if we found a T-Rex?" asked Billy._

"_What's that?" asked Aisha. Billy jumped up excitedly._

"_It's this huge dinosaur that used to live on Earth." He opened his arms as wide as his little body could go. "Its head was about this big." Aisha's eyes grew huge._

"_And it had lots and lots of sharp teeth." Billy bared his own at her. "See how ours are flat and look like rectangles?" Aisha nodded. "Their teeth were really sharp and pointy. They ate other animals, so it helped them chew their food. The book I read said it was because they were carnivores." He said the last word slowly, making sure to pronounce it exactly as Walter had shown him._

_Aisha made a face at that. She was raised not to eat meat, so hearing of a creature eating another creature did not sit well with her. Billy moved back beside her, digging vigorously, now excited about finding an actual T-Rex fossil._

_The two kids stopped digging as a shadow fell over their sandbox. Looking up, Aisha noticed two boys she didn't know standing over them, arms crossed._

_Aisha looked at them plainly. "Can you move, please? You're blocking the sun."_

_The two boys looked at each other. "We want to use the sandbox," said the skinnier one. His hair was cut low to his head, and he stood awkwardly, chewing gum. The other boy, who was much bigger, stood with a menacing glare. His hair was longer than his friend's and curly._

_Aisha glared at them. "We were here first. You have to wait your turn." Billy looked over at Aisha before nodding meekly._

_The bigger boy looked down at them. "What are you guys doing?"_

_Billy smiled. "We're looking for dinosaurs!"_

_The two boys began to laugh hysterically. "You're not going to find a dinosaur in the sandbox," shouted the big one._

_Aisha jumped to her feet. "You don't know that!" she yelled angrily._

_He grinned at her. "Yeah, I do. The only people that are going to find any dinosaurs are gonna be us. Right, Skull?" _

_The skinny boy gave a strange high-pitched giggle. "That's right, Bulkie."_

_Bulk moved closer to Aisha. "Now get outta our sandbox." Aisha wanted to cry. Her dad and Billy's brother were too far away to help them on this side of the park._

"_Hey!" entered another voice. Aisha grinned happily; she recognized it immediately._

_Standing behind Bulk and Skull were the Desantos brothers – Rocky and Xavier. Like them, Rocky was also six, while Xavier was only four. Aisha looked over to where her dad was conversing with a very pregnant Maria Desantos on the bench with her husband, Esteban, and their youngest child, Giselle._

"_Leave Aisha and Billy alone!" Rocky yelled at them. Skull looked at Bulk nervously, but Bulk remained calm._

"_Who's gonna make me? You?" he laughed. "You brought a baby to help you fight?"_

_Xavier scowled. "Not a baby." Rocky stepped in front of his little brother._

_While they were distracted, Aisha grabbed Billy's hand, pulling him up to her. "Go get your brother," she whispered. Billy ran quickly over to Walter, telling him about the bullies that found them._

"_You're gonna get it now," Aisha snickered. She saw Walter headed over to them, Billy's hand clasped tightly in his._

"_Bulkie, I think we should leave," said Skull in slight panic. He couldn't get into anymore trouble… his parents would kill him. Bulk sighed, recognizing a lost battle when he saw one._

"_We'll get you back," he mumbled, walking away from them with Skull scampering closely behind. He bumped hard into Aisha, sending her careening to the ground. Rocky moved quickly to her, helping her up. _

"_Are you okay?" he asked softly. She nodded, checking her arms for any scratches. Xavier came over to her._

"_Aisha, do you want me to beat them up?" he asked._

_She giggled softly. "It's okay, Xavier. I'm fine." The little boy nodded, quickly distracted by a hovering butterfly._

_Rocky crossed his arms over his chest. "I shoulda beat them up," he said grumpily. "Mami says you treat people the way you want to be treated." He shook his head. "Those guys were mean."_

_Aisha smiled at him. "It's not a big deal, Rocky. Promise." He looked unconvinced. "Thank you for helping us, though. That was really brave of you."_

_The boy flushed bright red, waving her off. "You're my friend. You always stick up for your friends."_

_She grinned, hugging him tightly. "I'm glad we're friends."_

_Rocky's eyes bugged, not at all comfortable at being hugged by a girl other than his mom. "Um… I'm glad, too." He awkwardly hugged her back._

_Sensing his discomfort, Aisha pulled away. They stood in silence for awhile before Rocky peered over at her._

"_Wanna go play on the swings? I'll push you," he offered._

_She smiled. "That would be fun."_

"_Come on, Xavier! We're gonna go play on the swings!" he yelled out. The four-year-old gave an excited yell, running full speed towards the swings. _

_Rocky laughed, grabbing Aisha's hand quickly as they took off behind his brother._

Aisha smiled at the memory, remembering how protective Rocky was of her. She shook her head; there was no reason to be nervous about him. He was always there for her, right from the start.

Out in the main lobby of the movie theatre, Rocky Desantos was pacing back and forth.

This was absolutely absurd. His girlfriend was sitting in the theatre, alone, while he was out here, pacing like a man possessed. Muttering softly in Spanish, Rocky nearly lost it when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" he barked. The young man standing next to him jumped back in fright.

"I was just wondering if you were okay…" he asked weakly.

Rocky gave him an incredulous look. "Do I _look_ okay to you?" he hissed.

The guy put up his hands in defense. "Sorry, man," before quickly turning to walk away.

Rocky stared after him, slowly realizing what just happened. "Dammit, I didn't mean… ugh," he groaned. Rocky quickly walked to the men's room, standing in front of the sink as he looked himself in the mirror.

This was _Aisha,_ for Christ's sake.

Rocky turned on the faucet, wetting his face. Grabbing a paper towel, he dried his face, taking a deep breath. Rocky knew there was no reason to be nervous. Aisha was his friend… his best friend since childhood. There was no one he trusted more than her, and he just needed to remember that.

She knew Rocky better than anyone, maybe even better than he knew himself. He knew he was safe with Aisha, that there was no need to worry with her.

But she unnerved him for the very same reason.

He felt safe with Aisha. Those other girls… he honestly felt nothing but lust. There was no risk with them; he got what he wanted, they got what they wanted, and once it was it gained, it was over with. He never had to bare his soul to them or stay long enough to be emotionally attached.

With Aisha, he already lost that fight.

She saw a side of him that many hadn't seen – Rocky that wasn't all fun and games, jokes and sarcasm.

She saw the Rocky that got angry. That got sad.

The Rocky that hurt.

_Aisha, Kimberly, and Tanya walked down the halls of Angel Grove Junior High School after school, parting ways with Trini who just left home. They were coming from cheerleading practice, talking animatedly about the upcoming dance this Saturday._

"_He's totally going to ask you, Aisha," said an excited Kimberly. Everyone knew that Douglas Brown had his eye on Aisha since the first day of sixth grade. Now in eighth grade, it appeared he was finally going to make his move._

"_You really think so?" asked Aisha skeptically. She had heard the rumors, but the idea that the cutest guy in school was going to ask her out was still out there for her._

_Tanya rolled her eyes. "Aisha, pretty much every boy at school has had their eye on you." Aisha blushed lightly._

_Kimberly couldn't help but agree. "Listen to your cousin, 'Sha. And please don't act dumb." Kim rolled her eyes. "Ever since you decided to become a woman and all…" she trailed off as Tanya laughed._

_Aisha had to admit there was some truth to their words. Ever since her little growth spurt in the middle of sixth grade, she had been getting a lot more attention from boys than she was used to._

"_We'll see if there's any truth to this rumor eventually, I guess," she sighed. Douglas Brown was very cute. Tall, brown hair, hazel eyes... He was extremely well-mannered, a regular sweetheart._

_But he wasn't who Aisha was hoping would ask her to the dance._

"_Who're you going with, Kim?" _

_Kimberly grimaced. "Jason." Aisha and Tanya shot her a curious look. "Look, you guys know as well as I do that Jase and I are just friends…" The two girls nodded._

"_This won't help the rumors at all, though," murmured Tanya._

_Kimberly let out a frustrated groan. Ever since the fourth grade, everyone seemed to have it made up in their mind that Kimberly and Jason Scott were destined to be together. Kimberly did have strong feelings for Jason and he positively adored her – in the most platonic way possible. Caught up in the idea of 'Jason and Kim,' the two had attempted to have a relationship two years ago. Their kiss during Jessica Young's twelfth birthday party due to a rigged game of truth and dare was still the talk of AGJHS._

_For Kim and Jason, however, that kiss only solidified what they both knew to be true: they weren't meant to be._

_Granted, Kimberly did realize that she and Jason were only eleven at the time, and who knows what 'meant to be' was at that age? But she couldn't shake the feeling that Jason just wasn't it for her. He was a great guy, and she secretly thought he was really cute, but it just didn't feel… right. It felt strange to kiss him – wrong almost, like kissing a brother. She only hoped she wasn't making a mistake in staying just friends with Jason, holding onto this silly notion of one day finding her white knight._

"_I know it won't… but I really want to go to the dance, and Jason is the guy I trust the most. I mean granted, I could clearly ask Zack or Rocky or even Billy, but Billy would just stare at Trini all night, Zack's taking Angela, and Rocky would barely pay attention to me with the other girls around," she muttered irritably. She hated that all the other girls seemed to be developing faster than her. Sometimes, Kimberly was afraid she'd be trapped in this body forever… flat as a board, no hips, and an embarrassing retainer to boot._

_Aisha wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulder, knowing how sensitive Kim was over her body. "Hey, cheer up, Kim. You know you'll have fun with Jase. And you know you're beautiful where it matters most."_

_Kim snorted. "Says the one with mountains on her chest instead of mosquito bites."_

_Tanya threw her head back, laughing hysterically at Kim's joke. Aisha shot her a look. "Oh come on, 'Sha. That was hysterical!" Kim smiled appreciatively at her best friend's cousin._

_Letting out a few chuckles, Aisha pushed Kim away from her. "Goofball." Kim gave a wide grin, flashing her retainer at her friend._

"_And what about you, Tanya?" asked Kim slyly. The girl in question raised an eyebrow. "Who are you going with?"_

"_Shawn."_

_Kim and Aisha groaned loudly. "Are you kidding me?" Aisha asked, flabbergasted._

_Tanya shrugged. "It's not a big deal, you guys. I only said yes because he asked me first."_

_Kim looked on in concern. "Shawn's the biggest player at school, Tanya. Just be careful."_

_Tanya smiled. "Don't worry, Kim, I know. I'm actually quite surprised he even asked. I thought for sure he'd ask Margarita."_

_Aisha rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, she sank her teeth into Billy first." She shook her head sadly. "Poor boy never stood a chance with that snake." Kim giggled._

_The girls turned around at the sound of heavy breathing and running behind them. Headed at them full speed in his soccer uniform and Adidas gym bag was Adam Park. He was a quiet boy, still adjusting from moving to Angel Grove last year. He gave a wide smile upon seeing Aisha, slowing down to stand in front of the three girls._

"_Hey Aisha, Kim… Tanya," he said breathlessly. Kimberly snickered at the lovesick look in Adam's eyes as he looked at Tanya. Aisha subtly pinched Kimberly in the ribs, making the shorter girl squirm. Aisha couldn't blame her friend for being amused; it was painfully obvious that Adam was smitten over Tanya._

"_Hey, Adam, how are you?" asked Tanya with a bright smile._

_His cheeks took on a pink tinge. "I-I'm okay. Just came from soccer practice. How are you?"He inwardly flinched at the tremble in his voice._

_She shrugged. "Just heading back from cheerleading practice."_

"_That's cool," he said, voice cracking as he now flushed bright red. Adam was in the middle stage of puberty, and to his embarrassment, it just reared its ugly head in front of the last person he wanted to know about it. Tanya gave a small giggle, finding his cracking voice incredibly cute._

_Sensing Adam's impending implosion from embarrassment, Aisha decided to save him. "You seemed to be in a hurry."_

_His eyes snapped open. "Right! It's about Rocky." His expression turned serious._

_Aisha raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"_

_Adam looked down. "His mom came to pick him up at practice. She said something to him… I don't know what since I was still getting my stuff together. Next thing I know, Rocky and she got into it. They were yelling in Spanish."_

_Aisha narrowed her eyes. "Did you pick out any words?"_

_He scratched the back of his neck. "Just one. Mentirosa, I think." Aisha's eyes widened._

"_Where's he now?" she asked._

_Adam shrugged. "No clue. He just took off running. That's why I'm here. I have no idea where he is, 'Sha."_

_She moved past him. "I know where he is. You guys go ahead." She took off down the hall, racing out the nearest door._

_Aisha ran full speed to the park, heading to the tree at the end of the park next to the sandbox. It was their sacred spot, the place they went when the world failed to make sense. Slowing down, she stood at the base of the tree. Looking up, she saw a worn Air Jordan VIII sneaker hanging down._

_Rocky._

_Quickly, Aisha climbed the tree, ignoring the scratches she knew would be there due to the roughness of the bark. She made her way over to her friend, carefully sliding to sit beside him on the branch. The two sat in silence for some time before Aisha took a deep breath._

"_Wanna tell me why you called your mom a liar?" she asked softly, nudging him in the arm._

_He didn't speak for a long time. His hands were gripping the tree branch painfully. Aisha looked at him in concern._

"_Rocky?"_

_He turned to her, and she gasped softly. Rocky's eyes were bloodshot, his face streaked with tears. Before Aisha appeared, Rocky had cried so hard to the point where he could no longer imagine anymore tears coming from his eyes. But looking at Aisha, he felt another wave coming._

"_He's gone," he choked out. "Papi's gone."_

_Aisha stared at her friend as he began to cry softly. She knew the Desantos family was going through a rough time. Ever since Esteban had been laid off three years ago, Maria had to work multiple shifts to take care of the family. From what she knew of Mr. Desantos, he was a very proud man, Rocky often describing his father with the word machismo. Rocky told Aisha of how he knew it bothered his father that his mom was the one bringing home the money, supporting the family on her own._

_It apparently had gotten to him so much that Esteban began drinking again, a nasty habit he gave up after learning Maria was pregnant with Rocky. Every day, he sat on the sofa, drinking away as his wife came home from work for a few minutes just to head back out to her next shift. The two of them would argue a lot, and Rocky often found solace at Aisha's house after witnessing a particularly nasty fight. The Campbells were aware of what was going on in the Desantos household, allowing Rocky to spend the night in the guest bedroom whenever he needed to get away._

"_I'm so sorry, Rocky," Aisha mumbled. She hadn't expected Esteban to actually leave the family. Despite everything, it was obvious he loved his children. The idea of him just leaving them - leaving Maria with seven kids to raise on her own…_

_Rocky sniffed. "When mami came to pick me up today, I knew something was wrong. Papi always does," he said softly, wiping at his eyes. "I asked her – I asked her where he was." He let out a shaky breath._

"_He waited for us to go to school." Rocky cleared his throat. "When she got home, all that was left was a note and some cash. Everything that was his is gone." He reached around his neck, hand caressing the necklace he wore._

"_Everything but this."_

_Aisha watched as Rocky rolled the cross between his fingers, finding comfort in its weight._

_He let out a humorless laugh, braces visible. "I think I always knew… deep down inside…" He stared at the ground. "He hugged me tight this morning when he dropped me off to school." Rocky wore a sad smile. "He told me 'Te quiero, mi hijo'. My father never just says that, you know?" Aisha nodded, running a hand along his back. "I should've known…"_

_He wringed his hands in agitation. "Maybe I could've said something… said _anything_… kept him from leaving..."_

_Rocky sounded like a small child to Aisha, and the lost look in his eyes reminded her of the boy she knew at age six._

_He looked at her. "The others don't know yet. I'm the only one." He shook his head. "She told me first because I'm the oldest. Thought I'd handle it the best." Rocky sighed. "She overestimates my abilities."_

_Aisha scooted closer to him. "You will handle this, Rocky. You're one of the strongest people I know."_

_He smiled wryly. "I'm just a good faker."_

"_Then keep faking, Rocky. You have to be strong. You have five siblings that need you, and one on the way. Your mom is going to need you the most, Rocky." His chest felt tight. "She has to raise seven kids on her own. You're going to have to be there for her."_

_Rocky's chest heaved as he let out a painful sob. "I didn't mean to call her a liar, 'Sha." Hot tears cascaded down his cheeks. _

_Aisha turned her body so that she was straddling the branch. She pulled Rocky towards her, resting his head on her chest as his body was wracked with guttural sobs. Aisha rocked him gently from side to side, mimicking what her mother did to her as a child when she was upset. She ran a comforting hand along his side, not aware of her own tears falling slowly from her eyes. She waited for him to calm down before speaking._

"_Your mom knows you love her, Rocky. She knows you were just upset, and that you were lashing out." _

_He sighed shakily, wiping his face with the back of his hand. He lifted off of her, turning so his back was to her, straddling the branch as well. Aisha knew Rocky hated showing any sign of weakness. Having a complete meltdown in front of his best friend most likely left Rocky feeling embarrassed._

"_Look," she began, "I get it okay. You're scared, Rocky, and you have every right to be." She sighed. "You're only fourteen years old, and your whole world pretty much got turned upside down, right?" He nodded slightly. _

"_I know it's going to be tough and painful and confusing. I know that- that you're feeling a thousand conflicted emotions, but you know you have to be strong for your mom and your siblings." She cautiously moved closer to him. "And I know you hate all this pressure and may feel like you're drowning and are alone."_

_Rocky's back tensed, and she knew she hit the nail on the head. Aisha reached around him and he jerked a bit at seeing her hand in front of him. He turned to look at her._

"_I'm offering you a hand, Rocky. You don't… you don't have to go through this alone."_

_Rocky turned away from her, saying nothing as he looked straight ahead. Aisha looked down sadly, seeing that Rocky was determined to do this on his own._

_This is why it completely surprised her when he grabbed her hand in his own, his grip firm and tugging at her._

_Aisha moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him from behind around his stomach. She laid her head against his shoulder, and Rocky tilted his back. He covered her arms with his own, playing softly with her fingers._

"_I don't think I can- I want-" He took a deep breath. "Thank you," he whispered._

_Aisha simply tightened her grip around him, as the two sat in silence in their tree._

Rocky blinked back the tears that came to his eyes, his hand subconsciously rising to caress his cross around his neck. Rocky would never be able to fully express to Aisha how much she did for him at one of the most difficult moments of his life.

The day Esteban Desantos took off to parts unknown, Rocky was forced to grow up faster than he wanted. He had to take on certain responsibilities as the oldest in the family, and it weighed heavily on him daily. He knew he only made it due to the love and support of his family and friends.

But most importantly, because of her.

Rocky looked around, annoyed with himself. He was having a date with one of his best friends – his girlfriend – and he had run away to be in the men's bathroom.

And for what? He didn't even know.

He shook his head. Quickly, Rocky composed himself, heading back to the theater.

Rocky entered the dark room, walking up the steps slowly before noticing Aisha waving at him. Grinning, he headed over, sitting beside her.

She made a face. "I thought you went to get something to eat?" He smiled. "I changed my mind."

"Oh, okay." She sat back in the seat, eyes focused back on the screen. Rocky sat for a few seconds before reaching over, grabbing her hand with his. He interlocked their fingers, rubbing her hand with his thumb.

Aisha turned to look at him, smiling happily. She leaned forward, kissing him softly on the cheek before resting her head against his shoulder.

He couldn't help the smug smile that crossed his face as she made herself comfortable against him. He raised his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders as she lay against him more comfortably. Rocky smiled at the happy expression on her face.

_I still got the moves._

_

* * *

_

**Angel Grove Park**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**7:43 PM**

Adam walked slowly around the lake, Tanya at his side. The two had just gotten back from bowling with some others from school. Adam had missed the last chorus practice, courtesy of Goldgoyle, and had forgotten about the bowling game they were having tonight.

They had split into four teams: altos, sopranos, tenors and bass. It was a match to determine who the most valuable section in the chorus was. The tenors had won, and Adam enjoyed how that fact irritated Tanya.

"We all know you guys cheated," she mumbled. Adam laughed at her.

"Tanya, you know we won fair and square. Don't be upset because the sopranos came in last," he teased. She rolled her eyes, shoving him gently with a laugh.

Adam couldn't stop the silly grin that crossed his face anymore than he could stop breathing. He was initially a bit disappointed to find out that he and Tanya would be spending their night with the rest of the chorus. Adam wanted to spend some time alone with her, but given how much fun they had bowling, he was glad to see her smiling and didn't mind.

When the game came to a close, Adam was trying to hide his frown, as he knew his time with Tanya was coming to an end. The others were headed off to their cars, joking over how tenors were the best or how they wanted a rematch. He and Tanya said their goodbyes before heading over to his jeep.

Adam was surprised when instead of asking him to take her home, Tanya asked if they could stop by the park. She told him she wasn't ready to go home yet. He kept his face neutral, although internally, he was screaming with happiness.

He wasn't ready for her to go home either.

"I really enjoyed tonight, Adam," she said softly. He was suddenly very aware of how close she was to him.

"Yeah, I did, too. Never would've known how good some people are at bowling." He paused. "Or how bad."

She gave a laugh. "Hey, now… no more digs on the sopranos. " Adam gave her a winning smile.

"Thank you," she said suddenly. Adam scrunched up his face. "For what?"

She looked down. "I've- I've been having a hard time dealing since the whole Shawn thing…" She waved a hand dismissively.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ever since I found out what he did…" She shook her head. "Everyone's been walking on eggshells around me."

She sighed, coming to a stop. "I understand everyone is trying to be sensitive to my feelings, you know? Being extra careful to not bring up his name or the party and keeping me from seeing that cow Margarita…" He cracked a smile at that. "It feels nice to just be around someone who treats me like a normal person."

Adam could feel his ears burning.

"I like that you didn't allow any of that to change how you talk to me. You don't act like Shawn was my whole life and that I'm some fragile child without him." Her voice got soft. "You're not being a pity friend."

Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tanya, the _last_ thing I feel for you is pity." His cheeks tinged pink from his words. "I- I actually admire you with how everything turned out."

She raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Really?"

Adam laughed; she was definitely related to Aisha.

"Yeah, really. With everything that happened, you've shown tremendous strength, Tanya." He scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know if I would feel comfortable going to school if I were in your shoes, knowing he was around. That takes a lot of courage."

She smiled at this. "It still hurts to think about."

"You're human," he said simply.

"Yeah," she whispered, turning away from him. Adam looked at her, anger and sadness surging through him at how hurt she was over that asshole Shawn. Tanya was too good of a person for that piece of dirt.

After her fallout with Shawn, Tanya had maintained an air of indifference. She broke up with him immediately, head held high. Everyone was expecting a showdown between her and Margarita, but Adam was happy to see Tanya had too much class to deal with the likes of her. She never made a bad comment about Shawn or Margarita, opting to focus more intently on her studies and track.

Now that Adam thought about it, he had never really seen her react over what happened. She simply kept moving forward, as if nothing happened.

Adam moved around her, standing so they were facing each other. "Hey, Tanya, you think–" Adam's eyes widened.

Tanya looked on the verge of tears.

Adam looked around wildly. He had no idea what to do. He really wished Kim or Aisha were here.

"Err… are you okay?" He could've kicked himself in the teeth for asking such a stupid question.

Tanya cleared her throat. "Um… yeah, I'm fine." She smiled. "Just something in my eye."

Adam looked her up and down, eyes narrowed. Adam was not that great at understanding girls, but he was really good at reading emotions. Being afraid to talk when he was younger, Adam was used to observing people; right now, Tanya looked like she needed something.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Adam called upon a confidence he did not feel.

"We're friends, right?" he asked. Tanya looked at him confused, her eyes still wet.

"Yeah…" she responded slowly.

Adam felt himself blush as he opened his arms, extending them to her.

"Then can I give my friend a hug? Because she looks like she needs one."

Tanya stared at him for a few seconds, her expression unreadable. Slowly, she moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his back. Adam sent up a silent thank you as he wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him tightly, to Adam's pleasant surprise, and he simply ran a hand up and down her back.

After what felt like several minutes, Tanya began to pull away from him. "I needed that."

Adam grinned, knowing Kim would be proud of him at that moment. "No problem. That's what friends are for."

Tanya smiled back at him, and he was glad to see that it reached her eyes this time. She shivered suddenly, cold now that she was no longer in his arms.

Adam quickly took off his jacket, offering it to her. She shook her head. "I'm fine."

Adam laughed. "Tanya, please. Aisha would kill me if she knew I let you walk around freezing to death." He gave her his best puppy dog expression, and she couldn't fight the smile that graced her lips.

"Alright, but I'm taking it off as soon as you get cold," she said stubbornly, slipping the large jacket onto her petite fame. Adam noticed she looked really good in his varsity soccer jacket. She pulled her hair behind her ears before crossing her arms. "Thanks."

He shrugged. He had on a long-sleeved t-shirt with a wifebeater underneath; he would be fine in the cool air.

The two continued walking and Adam decided to make a bold move. He quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, keeping his gaze straight ahead. He could feel the heat on his neck but ignored it, continuing with the conversation.

Tanya briefly looked up at him, somewhat surprised by his gesture. Timidly, she slipped an arm around his waist.

Adam's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he felt her small hand resting gently on his hip. Adam forced himself to remain calm, keeping the conversation going as if he were unaffected.

He did this all the time with Kim and Aisha, so it was perfectly okay to do with Tanya.

His friend.

She moved closer to him, resting her head against his shoulder as they continued talking; he felt his mouth go dry suddenly. He gave a strangled cough, clearing his throat awkwardly. Tanya giggled when she felt Adam tense briefly before relaxing.

The two headed over to his jeep; Tanya had to be home by nine, and Adam wanted to head back no w to avoid her father, a former marine. Adam turned on the radio, singing along horribly to Bon Jovi's 'You Give Love a Bad Name.' He smiled when he heard Tanya laughing hysterically at him; he liked the sound of her laugh.

All too soon, he pulled up to her house. The two got out, and Adam walked Tanya up to her front step.

"Thank you for tonight." Adam smiled widely; he always seemed to be smiling around her.

He shrugged. "It's no big. I had a lot of fun hanging out with you. Maybe we can do it again some time?" He was surprised at his forwardness.

Tanya's eyes lit up happily. "I'd really like that."

"Yeah?" he asked, slightly in disbelief. She smiled, nodding her head. "Wow… uh cool. Well um… I'll give you a call, and we can set something up in the future then?"

"Sounds like a plan," she said softly. Adam stood there awkwardly.

"Okay, cool." Tanya laughed at him as he stood there rigidly, hands in his pockets. "I guess I better get going then. I'll see you after spring break, I guess… friend."

He turned to walk away. "Adam!" she called after him. Quickly he turned, eyes searching hers.

"Is something wrong?" he asked concerned. She shook her head, walking up to him. Tanya stood on the tips of her toes, pressing a kiss against Adam's cheek. She pulled back, watching as he looked at her in amazement, hand barely touching where she kissed him.

Tanya opened her front door, turning to look at him before going inside. "Goodnight, friend."

The door closed with a soft click.

Adam felt the goofiest grin cross his face. He felt like running around the neighborhood from excitement, but he realized that would not be a smart idea to do as an 18-year-old boy.

He'd simply wait until he got to his room to celebrate.

* * *

**Hart Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**8:57 PM**

Tommy's mind was racing as he walked the few blocks from his house to Kim's. Her words that morning had him distracted all day. He left his house early to see her, no longer able to handle the anxiety.

Sure enough, when Tommy finally made it to Kimberly's house, the only car in the driveway was Kimberly's fuchsia Nissan Sentra; Ms. Hart's car was nowhere in sight. Tommy sighed deeply before knocking on the door.

He played nervously with his watch, not hearing any noise on the other side of the door. He knocked again, louder this time.

"Hold on!" he heard faintly on the other side.

A few seconds later, Kimberly opened the door. Tommy was still wearing his clothes from this morning, but Kimberly had changed shirts. She now wore a simple black wifebeater with her jeans and walked around barefoot.

Tommy's eyes were drawn to the necklace around her neck – it was a small arrowhead necklace he had given her a year before on her birthday. His uncle had shown him how to carve them when he was younger, when he would visit him on the reservation. Tommy had always been proud of his Cahuilla heritage and had made the arrowhead as a gift for Kim and a way to share his culture with her.

Seeing it around her neck stirred something deep within him.

Kim smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Hey," she said softly, stretching to kiss him gently. Tommy returned the kiss, allowing her to pull him into the house. He kicked the door closed with his boot. Kimberly reached behind him to lock the door.

She pulled back from him, tugging him behind her as they ascended the stairs. Tommy followed her curiously, his steps heavy on the narrow steps.

They entered her room, and Kimberly sat down on her bed, crooking her finger at him as she scooted back on the bed. Tommy kicked off his shoes and grinned, crawling up her body as he gave her a searing kiss. Kimberly groaned loudly, mouth opening underneath his as she sucked his tongue into her mouth. Tommy's lips trailed to her neck, suckling the spot he knew made her squirm.

Kimberly shifted beneath him, rolling them over as she held his face in her hands. Tommy grunted as she ground against his erection, hands cupping her firm ass. He felt something poking him in his back, and he tried to shift to get rid of it. Moving only seemed to make it worse, and Tommy pulled away from Kim in agitation.

She threw him a look. He reached behind his back. "Sorry, it's just something is really–" He lifted the offending object, his mood going ice cold, "bothering me."

Kimberly leaned back with a sigh when she recognized what was in his hand. She had received another package from John Hopkins today, giving her more information on their biology program.

Kimberly slid off of Tommy as he sat up, the mood officially gone.

"Came in the mail today," she supplied. He said nothing.

Kimberly watched her boyfriend, his eyes unwavering as he looked at one of the pamphlets.

"You're really going to love it there," he said softly.

She gave a weak laugh. "I hope so."

Tommy looked at her. "I'm so proud of you, Kim." Kim blinked; whatever she thought he was going to say, that wasn't it.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing his arm softly. "That means a lot to me."

Kimberly was known at AGHS for being amazing at gymnastics; she was damn good at what she did and everyone knew it. It had been a shock to everyone when she turned down the opportunity to train with the world famous gymnastics coach Gunther Schmidt to train for the Pan Globals Games once high school was over. He had been in Los Angeles for a gymnastics competition and had seen Kimberly's performance on the balance beam and bars. Coach Schmidt was thoroughly impressed, wanting to train Kim immediately for the Globals and possibly the Olympics.

Kimberly was extremely flattered by his offer, and it became big news all over town how the pretty gymnast was headed off to Florida following high school to represent Angel Grove. Her mother had told every person she knew, extremely proud of her daughter's accomplishments. Everyone was ready to cheer for her at the Games.

Only problem? Kimberly didn't want to go.

Kimberly enjoyed gymnastics. She had been doing it since age three and was very talented. But after a certain age, Kimberly didn't really _feel _gymnastics anymore. It changed from something she truly loved to something she just liked to do. She didn't feel any passion for gymnastics, any drive to continue.

Kimberly's true passion resided in her garden on the side of her house. The summer after Kimberly turned eight, she went to visit her aunt Cecilia in Charlotte. Her aunt was very free-spirited and very in tune with nature, which was very intriguing to a curious child like Kimberly. In her aunt's backyard was a large greenhouse. That summer, Kimberly learned everything there was to know about plants – the different types, what seasons yielded the best results, fertilizer preferences, understanding plants… Kimberly's eyes were opened by the experience, and she immediately fell in love with the plants.

When Kim was ten, her aunt died, losing her battle with breast cancer. In her will, she left her gardening notebook and a collection of rare seeds to Kimberly. The young girl had been so touched by her aunt's gift that she immediately set out to begin a garden. Her parents bought her all the necessary supplies, and Kimberly began her garden that year.

Eight years later, her garden was still striving, and Kimberly's interest had only grown stronger. She had a keen interest in biology, in particular plant biology. Kimberly had loved biology in tenth grade and chose to take both AP Biology and AP Environmental Science to learn more. Her teacher for both courses suggested Kimberly look into botany as a possibly major in college, seeing how well the girl did in the classes and how much she loved learning. Kimberly took the idea to heart, looking up colleges that had good biology and botany programs. The excitement Kim felt at the prospect of studying a subject she truly loved after high school overshadowed her waning feelings for gymnastics.

The only person who understood Kimberly's position was her boyfriend. Similarly, Tommy was in a position to continue on a track of success, being a gifted martial artist. His true interest, however, was paleontology. Tommy had decided he wanted to become a paleontologist long ago, and although he loved martial arts, he couldn't let that dream die.

He understood the pressure Kimberly felt from her family and seemingly all of Angel Grove. It was hard to turn down a dream everyone else had for you. Kimberly couldn't bear to disappoint everyone, but he pointed out how she had to be true to herself and what she wanted.

He just wished it didn't involve having over three hundred miles between them.

Kimberly bit her lip. "Tommy, look…" she began. He shook his head, moving the papers off the bed. He grabbed her hands, pulling her to him and kissing her softly.

"I know what you're going to say, but not now." He looked at her pleadingly. "I just want to focus on us and what we're doing at this moment."

Kimberly smiled slowly, rubbing her nose against his. Pulling back, Kimberly moved to sit at her desk, turning in the chair to face him. Her expression was now serious.

"Tommy, we need to talk."

He raised an eyebrow at her tone. "About?"

"I can't take these visions anymore."

Tommy's body felt heavy as he looked her over.

"It's driving me insane, Tommy. And I can't…" She ran a hand through her hair shakily. "I can't go on like this."

She stood up suddenly, pacing the floor. "Every time I close my eyes, every goddamn time… I see us." She turned to look at him. "And I fight against it. I fight so hard but now…" She shrugged. "I don't think I can fight it anymore."

Tommy licked his lips that were suddenly very dry. "What do you mean?"

Kim crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you feel… weaker after a vision? After fighting one, I mean?" Tommy nodded slowly. "That fall I took in the Youth Center was because I wasn't allowing myself to sleep or have a vision for days."

Tommy sat up straight, elbows resting on his knees. "I've been fucking up in practice lately." He looked sheepish. "Same reason."

Kimberly groaned aloud. "I hate this." Tommy looked at her worriedly, moving quickly to pull her to him by her belt loop. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her hip.

"I know," he said softly. "I wish this wasn't happening to us. I wish we never touched the shard. I wish we never went to Greece." Kimberly spread her legs around his, easing onto his lap.

"I wish things could go back to how they were," she whispered. She held Tommy's face in her hands. "I wish we could go back to when it was okay for us to be together. When we didn't have to worry about visions and shards and not being in control." She brushed a finger along his hairline, sending a chill down his spine.

Tommy pressed his face into her neck. "I'm afraid of being alone with you. Even right now, when all I want to do is hold you close." He hugged her to him. "I don't like not being in control of myself, and I'm afraid I'm going to do something I regret. Something we both regret," he admitted softly.

"I love you, and I want to be with you in every way possible, but not when it's not my choice," he stated.

Kimberly pulled away from him, staring into his eyes. She could see the conflicting emotions in his face, eyes shielded only by his long eyelashes. "I don't want to have that choice taken from us." She looked at him with an unreadable expression.

Kimberly ran her hands up the sides of his neck, cupping his jaw in her hands.

"Then let's make it our choice."

She kissed him firmly, not giving him the chance to react to her words. Tommy's hands found their way to her chestnut locks, holding her head firmly as he intensified the kiss. Kimberly rolled her hips against his, forcing a moan from his throat.

Pulling back, she slowly pushed Tommy onto his back, licking the hollow point on his neck.

Tommy gasped. "Kim- wait… shit," he moaned. She pulled back from him.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, searching her face. "I know you said you weren't ready, and I honestly have no problem waiting."

She smiled at him, kissing him firmly on the lips.

"Tommy, we're going on a quest tomorrow on a far away planet in another galaxy that we might not make it back from. Then we're going to go to war with two of the most psychotic villains in the universe who have a henchman who's crazy like a bat."

She ran her hands underneath his green sweater lovingly. "And on top of that, you and I are being tormented because of a glowing crystal that's doing only God knows what to our bodies."

Kimberly gave a small laugh. "I'm not even sure if we'll be alive next week, but the one thing I'm sure of is that I love you. And I want this."

Tommy looked into her eyes for some time before grabbing her by her waist, crushing her petite frame against his. She giggled against his lips; the sound quickly turned into a moan as he nipped her bottom lip playfully.

Kim leaned back, pulling her wifebeater off her body and revealing her bare breasts. Tommy immediately latched onto her right breast, suckling her forcefully and earning a strong moan. He massaged her left breast in his large hand, tweaking her nipple.

She pushed him back suddenly, reaching for the hem of his shirt. Tommy lifted his arms, laughing at Kimberly's enthusiasm to see him shirtless. He captured her lips with his own when his shirt was discarded, kissing her deeply with his tongue.

He lay on his back, pulling her down with him. Quickly, Tommy rolled them over, his large frame draped over hers. Kimberly's hands skimmed down his torso, reaching for his fly. The heat in the room doubled at the sound of his zipper being undone, and Tommy went back to suckling her breasts. Kim reached a hand inside his jeans, stroking him roughly as he strained against his boxers.

"Fuck," he grunted around her left breast, hips thrusting against her hand with a mind of their own. He grabbed her hand, pulling it out of his pants and up over her head. He grabbed the other, pinning it with the first.

Tommy slipped a hand down her body, sliding a longer finger into her underwear. Kim let out a groan as Tommy's fingers rubbed her clit firmly, and her hands struggled in his grasp. He held them down tightly, sliding his hand down further to finger her gently. She was extremely wet, and her eyes rolled into her head as she rode his fingers eagerly. Tommy's mouth latched onto her throat, her breathy moans coming loudly in his ear. He flicked her clit roughly and felt her body convulse violently underneath his fingers, squeezing him snugly. His dick jumped at the thought of her wrapped so tightly around him.

Pulling his fingers out, Tommy moved them to his mouth, sucking on them greedily. Kimberly groaned at the sight, extremely turned on.

Pinning her with a glare, Tommy released her hands.

"Stay," he ordered. She said nothing, hands remaining against the pillows above her head. He sat back on his legs, tugging her jeans down her slim legs and off of her. Kimberly look on in anticipation as he rolled her panties down, removing her left then right leg from them. Tossing them to the floor, he then lay on his stomach, lifting her legs over his shoulders.

Kim shuddered when she felt his breath between her thighs. She remembered the last time he was there and how exquisite his tongue felt.

Tommy wrapped a strong hand around each thigh, spreading her legs wide. He moved closer, giving a long lick up her dripping slit. Kimberly's eyes rolled, and her face contorted as she clenched the pillow above her head. Tommy shoved his tongue inside her, and she gasped softly at the intrusion.

He tongued her gently for some time, driving her insane at the softness of his tongue. He licked all around her, touching every spot but her clitoris. He remembered how strongly she reacted when he licked her there the last time and wanted to save it for last.

Kimberly ground herself against his face anxiously, trying hard to connect his tongue to the sensitive nub he seemed to be avoiding like the plague. Tommy made slow circles around her clit, getting dangerously near it.

Tommy pulled away abruptly, causing Kimberly to groan loudly in annoyance. He chuckled softly before moving back, wrapping his lips around the bundle of nerves. He sucked on it lazily, flicking it with his tongue as she arched above him.

"Fuck… _yes_, just like that," she groaned blissfully. Tommy's flicks against her clit became stronger over time, and his sucking more concentrated.

Kimberly bucked hard against him, feet pressing firmly in his back. Tommy held onto her thighs tightly, preventing her from closing them or bucking too wildly. Kim began to moan extremely loudly, and she grabbed her pillow, putting it over her head to cover her cries. Tommy reached up, snatching the pillow from her and tossing it off the bed. He wanted to hear her.

Kimberly felt the familiar pressure in the pit of her stomach, and she cried loudly as he licked her clit furiously. She heard herself scream, her orgasm hitting her with such intensity that she clenched her jaw for a moment. Her toes curled painfully as she hit her climax, and Kimberly could only shout Tommy's name as she rode out the waves of her release, his tongue lapping at her juices.

Tommy released her, his eyes nearly black as he looked at her. He quickly reached for his wallet in his back pocket, grabbing a condom before throwing the wallet halfway across the room. Yanking his pants down roughly, Tommy stroked himself as he watched his girlfriend come down from her orgasmic high, eyes fluttering. He opened the foil, rolling the condom onto his cock before coming to rest between her legs.

He leaned over her, arms on either side of her body. Kimberly looked at him, dazed.

"Are you sure?" he asked again. She saw the tightness in his jaw and the stiffness of his cock. Kim knew if she asked him, he would stop immediately, no matter how sexually frustrated he was.

She spread her legs further, taking a deep breath. "Yes."

Tommy wrapped a hand around his cock, carefully guiding the tip to Kim's opening. Slowly, he pushed inside of her, eyes closing from how tight she felt around the head of him.

Kimberly rotated her hips, groaning at the delicious friction. Gasping, Tommy began to make short, slow thrusts inside of her, allowing her to adjust to his girth slowly. Kimberly watched fascinated as the head of him disappeared inside her time and time again.

"You ready?" he asked. She nodded quickly, closing her eyes as she braced for the pain.

Tommy snapped his hips forward, sinking into Kimberly all the way to the hilt. He held himself up by his arms, mouth open as he took harsh breaths.

"Oh, shit," he wheezed. He had never felt anything as good as this. She was hot, wet, and tight everywhere at once. "Oh, fuck…" he groaned, willing himself not to move.

Kimberly was in a world of pain, though not as much as she anticipated. It hurt a lot, and she felt tears sprang to her eyes from the discomfort. Tommy's eyes connected with hers, and he immediately felt guilty. Kimberly was hurting, while he was feeling nothing but absolute bliss.

Thinking quickly, Tommy began to kiss her neck and face, moving down to suck on her breasts. Kim focused on what he was doing to her body, and eventually the pain began to ebb. She now just felt a strange fullness.

"Tommy," she said softly. He looked up at her, mouth latched onto her nipple. "Keep going. It doesn't hurt so much now."

"You sure?" he asked. She nodded quickly.

Tommy pulled himself up, arms holding him up once again. Slowly, he pulled himself out of her, biting his lip at the feel of her around him. He pulled out to the tip before pushing back in. Kim let out a small moan. Hearing this, Tommy repeated the thrust, moving faster.

Kimberly's hands skimmed up his stomach, gripping onto his shoulders. She wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing him to sink further. Tommy blinked rapidly at the sensation; sure he was going to lose it soon.

Tommy set a steady pace, thrusting inside of her firmly, his pelvis hitting hers. He played with her breasts as he moved, and it helped her to relax. Tommy reached down a hand, rubbing her swollen clit gently.

She rolled her hips against his fingers, crying out at the contact. Her walls squeezed against Tommy tightly, and he winced from the sensation. Kimberly grew wetter the more he played with her, and Tommy's pace began to quicken. Kimberly began moaning softly against him, her hips matching his thrusts as she felt a climax building within her.

Tommy sat so he was resting on his knees, allowing for a better position than lying down. He began to thrust rapidly inside of her, grunting loudly after each thrust. Kimberly arched her back as he hit a particularly delicious spot inside of her, and her moans began to turn into cries.

"Harder," she demanded breathlessly. Wasting no time, Tommy doubled his pace, his pelvis smacking loudly against hers. He was calling her name out softly, eyes closed as he fucked her harder.

He lifted her legs from his waist, moving them up and over his shoulders. The new angle let him sink deeper into her and allowed him to grind his pelvis against her clit. Kim's mouth opened wide at the feeling, and she cried his name loudly after each thrust. She was telling him how close she was, and it only spurred him on.

Tommy growled, holding Kim's hips forcefully as he slammed his hips into hers, his sack smacking loudly against her ass. Tommy could feel his balls tighten, and he ground his teeth, trying his best to hold back. Reaching between them, he rubbed her clit at a maddening pace.

"Ohhhh… oh shit… I'm cumming! Tommy!" she cried out, arching against him. Tommy's world went blank as he felt the heat around cock intensify to an inferno. Kimberly's walls clamped down on him tightly, and his eyes crossed as he gave a shout, thrusting roughly twice before cumming forcefully inside the condom.

Tommy convulsed over her, clenching the sheets tightly as his orgasm left him winded. She was still in the throes of her own orgasm, milking him for all he was worth and running her nails harshly along his falcon tattoo.

He gasped, breathing heavily. "Oh my god…"

Kimberly took a deep breath, her breathing returning to normal.

"Yeah." She licked her lips; her throat was sore. "Did you think it would…?" she trailed off.

Tommy shook his head vehemently. "Hell no. I mean… I imagined but I had no idea it would be that good." She laughed softly.

Carefully, Tommy pulled out of her, causing both of them to moan. He stood shakily, peeling off the condom and wrapping it in tissue before cleaning himself off. Kimberly just lay on the bed, not sure if she could move if she wanted to.

He climbed back on the bed, pulling her gently towards him. Her body was still incredibly sensitive after three orgasms, and she shuddered slightly at the contact.

Kim groaned sleepily, pressing her head into his chest. "That was nice."

He shook his head. "That was amazing." Kim chuckled, looking him in the eyes.

"What?" he asked, curious as to why she was looking at him like that.

"Nothing. I just… I love you," she said simply. "Even with everything going on, I'm glad I was able to share this with you."

He smiled at her, his heart soaring at her words. Tommy pressed a kiss to her lips. "I love you, too."


	10. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note:** It's been awhile, LOL. Here's an update. Thanks for the reviews everyone. There will be a few days between this chapter and the next (sorry), but I'm a bit busier than before. Anyway, hope you all enjoy this chapter. It should tide you over since it's a long one :). Please remember to read and review. And just a heads up, this chapter is rated M for graphic sexual content_...

* * *

**Hart Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Saturday, 6:16 AM**

…_Tommy moaned at the wet heat around his shaft. Kimberly was straddling him, her back to his face, as she rode him fiercely._

_He held onto her hips tightly, pushing inside of her at a rapid pace, bouncing her on his lap. Kimberly moaned above him loudly, her head tilted back as she rolled her hips in tight circles over him. He reached around her, rubbing her clit roughly, and she let out a cry, squeezing his knees as she came, loudly chanting his name._

_Tommy bit the inside of his cheek, holding back his orgasm as she squeezed him like a vice. Feeling her grip on his knees weaken, Tommy grabbed Kimberly's arms. He sat up and pushed her onto her hands and knees before him. He reached behind him, grabbing a pillow for her to rest on, before plowing into her at a frenzied pace. _

_With her chest resting on the pillow, Tommy thrust at an angle that allowed him to repeatedly hit a spot that left her breathless and her toes curling. Kimberly snapped her hips back to meet his. The only sounds in the room were their lustful groans and skin hitting against skin._

_Kimberly spread her legs a bit wider and Tommy groaned as he sunk in balls deep with each thrust. Throwing his head back, Tommy gripped her hips tightly, focused on achieving his climax. Kimberly was in a state of euphoria, sobbing openly on the bed as Tommy took her roughly. She was almost positive her pelvis would have bruises all around it, but she honestly didn't give a damn. Feeling herself so close to climax, Kimberly snaked down a hand to rub her clit furiously. After a few strokes, Kimberly's body seized up, and she detonated below him._

Tommy lurched out of his vision, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. His eyes crossed at the unbearable tightness around his cock; he looked down to see Kimberly's body tense, her hands in a white-knuckled grip on the sheets as she rode out her most powerful climax ever on his shaft. Her piercing cry rang through the house, and she shook violently. Tommy gave a startled cry, his own orgasm wrenched from him as he felt every single drop of him flow into her. His hips snapped forwards periodically as he came, convulsions wracking his lean frame.

Tommy had never come so hard in his short life, and from the way Kim screamed, he would guess it was the same for her. Tommy pulled his hair of his face, running a hand gently over Kimberly's soft behind. He could still feel the tremors running through her body, the slight twitch of her snug channel around his shaft. Carefully, he pulled out of her, and she let out a whimper at the sensation of his bare cock sliding inside her.

And suddenly, the reality of the situation hit him like a bucket of ice water.

Tommy jumped off the bed quickly, moving to put as much space between the two of them.

He didn't have on a condom.

Tommy ran shaky hands through his hair, unsure of how to react. Kimberly peered up at him, rolling over onto her side. She lifted her head in confusion. "Tommy?"

He looked at her with wild eyes.

"Tommy, what's wrong?"

He took a deep breath. "I wasn't wearing protection."

The room was silent for some time.

"I'm on birth control, Tommy. It's fine."

He felt relief flood his body quickly, dizzying him. "You sure?" he asked.

Kim gave him a lazy smile. "Yeah. I seriously doubt I'm going to get pregnant."

He moved to the bed, sitting on the edge. "Why are you on birth control?" he asked curiously.

"Helps me with my cycle," she said around a small yawn.

Tommy looked at her confused. "What's wrong with it?"

Kimberly giggled at him. "It just wasn't regular. The pills help with that. I've been on them since I was thirteen."

He seemed content with that answer. Looking down at the floor, Tommy wasn't sure how to breach the next topic.

"Kim…" he began, "you realize that we just…" He swallowed thickly. "We just had sex in our sleep because of –"

She cut him off. "Yeah, I know."

Tommy sighed heavily, his hands running over his face. "Kim, this isn't good. This is the second time this has happened."

She bit her lip as she looked at him, not sure if she wanted to say something.

"What?" he asked, noticing her expression.

"It's the third time," she admitted softly, watching him like a hawk. "It happened earlier tonight. I-I sorta woke up… during…"

_Kimberly gasped loudly as she woke up, her body hot and wet all over. She hissed __loudly__ as she felt a wonderful friction between her thighs, and arched her body at the pleasure. She looked up into the face of her boyfriend, his hands interlocked with hers as he thrust into her._

_Kimberly blinked rapidly before she let out a loud moan, whispering his name as he rammed her against the bed. His mouth was hot on her neck, kissing and licking on her pulse. He moved to her ear, sucking it into his mouth._

"_Cum for me again…" he whispered heatedly. "I want you to cum, screaming my name like you did before." Tommy's face was visible from the moonlight shining through her window. His eyes were unseeing, glazed over by a faint blue glow. _

_Kimberly's eyes rolled into her head at his words and she cried out as he thrust into her harder. Her headboard banged loudly against the wall at a furious pace, the mattress squeaking loudly as they rutted. Kimberly felt her toes curl tightly and she let out a shriek, crying his name as her orgasm hit her suddenly. She writhed beneath him in ecstasy; he grinned as his lips found hers in a heated kiss. _

_Tommy rolled them over, Kimberly now straddling him. She was still experiencing the last waves of her orgasm as he began to rock up into her eagerly. She let out a yelp, lurching forward to brace herself against his chest. He gripped her hips tightly as she slid over him, her wetness allowing her to ride him at a quick pace. Tommy sat up, capturing one of her bouncing breasts into his wet mouth, and she moaned as he sucked her nipple intently._

_Tommy grabbed her ass, bouncing her on top of him. Kimberly's hands grabbed onto his shoulders, her nails scratching against his tattoo. She bit into his shoulder as she came again quickly, her body tightening hard around his pistoning shaft. Tommy pulled back from her chest and she gasped softly at the glow in his eyes. Up close, his eyes looked cloudy, swirls of blue where there would normally be dark brown. His face radiated pleasure, and he licked her shoulder as he felt her orgasm ebb._

_Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist, rolling them over again so that she was on her back. Kimberly groaned harshly as he pounded into her, her eyes rolling into her head. _

_He rolled her onto her side, lifting one leg onto his shoulder while straddling the other. Grabbing the bed on either side of her body, Tommy began to fuck her furiously. Kimberly was positive her headboard was going to be nothing but splinters from how roughly it hit the wall. She clutched her sheets tightly, needing to grab onto something – anything – to handle the intensity of their coupling._

_Kim let out a long wail. He got such a rush at being the cause of her pleasure, and felt his balls tighten in anticipation of a glorious release._

_Tommy gasped, his eyes closed. "Again," he demanded breathlessly. "I need you to-" He groaned from the heat. "Again… please…" he begged._

_Kim bit her lip hard, nearly drawing blood as she tried to hold back a loud cry. Another climax was building, and she arched wildly, hips bucking against his._

"_Ohmygod… Tommy- YESYES! TOMMY!" she screamed loudly, barely recognizing her own voice, raw with need. Tommy's face contorted from the wonderful pressure around his cock, and he shouted loudly as he burst inside of her, hips pumping sporadically as he came._

"_Kim…fuck- Iloveyousomuch…" he groaned as his body shuddered. His arms lost their strength, and he rolled onto his side. He lay on his back next to her, eyes closed as his damp chest rose and fell with harsh breaths. Kimberly was winded; somewhat relieved that Tommy's overactive sex drive had finally come to an end. He took her like a man possessed, and she wasn't sure how many more climaxes she could take._

_She watched him weakly, his eyes fluttering open tiredly. He turned to look at her, confusion all over his face. The blue was fading from his eyes, and they were turning back to the soulful brown she loved to look into._

"_Kim…" he mumbled sleepily before turning over, lying on his stomach. Kim watched him fall back into a deep slumber, and she rolled over, hands covering her face._

"_Oh god…" she murmured. She remembered the glow in his eyes, the same bluish glow of the Imanyd shards. They had been in the middle of a vision, only she woke up while Tommy was still held captive to its effects. It had completely slipped her mind that they might act on their vision given their close proximity. _

_Kimberly had never had one as strong as the one they had tonight. Even though she was awake for most of it, she knew their visions never reached this level of intensity before. Never so passionate._

_She sighed at the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that was quickly drowning out her feeling of gratification._

_The visions were getting worse._

Tommy looked at Kimberly with an unreadable expression.

"Kim, I…" he was at a loss for words, not sure how to process what she told him. "I'm so sorry! I-I didn't- I didn't mean…"

Kimberly shook her head. "Tommy, it's okay," she said, placing her hand on his cheek. He grabbed her wrist, pulling away from her. He sat stiffly for some time, the wheels in his head turning. Kimberly watched silently as he got up, moving to gather his clothes.

Kimberly jumped up as well, yanking on her panties and jeans as Tommy pulled on his sweater.

"Tommy, wait!" she yelled after him as he walked out the door, headed downstairs. She slipped on her t-shirt, chasing him down the steps as fast as her legs could carry her.

His hand was on the handle, door open when he heard her voice behind him.

"If you walk out that door…" Her voice was soft, but the ultimatum rang thunderously in Tommy's ears. His entire body went rigid.

He turned to her, eyes blazing. "If I walk out that door, _what?_" he hissed.

"Come here," she said softly. He didn't budge. "God _dammit_, Tommy! Come here… please?" Her voice cracked, and that was his undoing. He closed the door softly, moving listlessly to stand before her.

She looked at him sadly, grabbing his hands in hers. "You didn't hurt me," she said firmly, mindful of the tick in his jaw. "You didn't take advantage of me or break me or anything like that. You weren't yourself, Tommy. I know that, but even when you were… possessed," she said for lack of a better word, "you didn't hurt me."

Kim knew Tommy would react this way once he found out. For that reason alone, she didn't want to tell him, but they had never lied to each other before and wouldn't start now. She understood his concern; he was significantly larger and stronger than her and had at least 75 pounds on her. The knowledge that he had acted on desires in his sleep and that she was awake for it…

He was unnerved.

She reached up, cupping his face. "Look, we were both having the same vision, right? It was going to happen regardless. I just happened to snap out of it when it did."

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Yeah, but I didn't. What if you hadn't wanted it, Kim? What if they change and only affect one of us at a time? What if once I try and you don't – you fight me or-" Kim put her fingers to his lips.

"I wanted it, Tommy," she assured him. "I will always want you. And I trust you." She smiled. "You're too much of a gentleman to do something like that to me, shard or not."

Tommy wished he had as much faith in her words as she did.

Kimberly felt her body hum as she stroked the side of Tommy's face, an energy swelling just beneath the surface. Tommy leaned his head into her caress, eyes closing as her fingers danced across his skin. He opened his eyes, gasping at what he saw.

Kimberly stood before him, her eyes a mixture of brown and blue swirls.

He removed her hands quickly, putting several feet between the two of them.

"Your eyes," he breathed.

She cocked her head to the side. "Yours, too."

Tommy trembled, feeling the energy surging under his skin. He hadn't felt so energized in days, he relished the feeling. All the fatigue, the headaches, lack of coordination… now, he could run twenty miles without breaking a sweat. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the power coursing through him.

Kimberly felt strong, freakishly so, and she laughed joyously at the feeling. She jumped off the stairs, running up to her boyfriend in her excitement.

"Tommy? You feel it, too?"

He looked at her, smiling, only to have that look shift into one of confusion. "Kim…you're _glowing_."

She looked at her hands; they were giving off the same blue light that now filled her eyes. "What's going on?" she asked slightly panicked. Tommy looked at his own body, his fingertips glowing brightly.

Suddenly, a bright light hit them, and the two fell to their knees from its intensity. Kimberly felt a wave of desire hit her strongly, and her body doubled over painfully as she fought against it. Tommy was in a similar condition, hands clenching the sides of his head as he grit his teeth, fighting the wave as well. He groaned painfully as he felt something in his abdomen contract unnaturally.

Kimberly gave a pained moan as her body began to heat up, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She gasped heavily as she felt herself begin to suffocate, fighting desperately to get air to her burning lungs. Tommy crawled quickly to the wastebasket nearby, retching from the wave of nausea that hit him.

The rush began to ebb, and the two teens lay in a heap on the floor, sweating profusely. Tommy rested against the wall, eyes closed as he desperately tried to calm his body. Kimberly was hunched over, shuddering as the cool air caressed her feverish skin. They looked at each other, eyes back to their normal brown, a multitude of emotions dancing in them… mostly fear.

Things were definitely worse.

* * *

**Day Room**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**8:28 AM**

Billy Cranston piled the last few items he would need in his gym bag. He packed all the essentials for their trip to Eltar, and a few extra items just as a precaution.

Rocky lay on the couch nearest him, head resting peacefully on Aisha's lap as he slept. She sleepily ran her fingers through his hair, a small smile on her lips.

Billy glanced over at her, a smirk on his lips. "Someone looks happy."

Aisha looked at him. "I am." Rocky let out a soft snore, causing Aisha to grin.

"Congratulations to you both," he said softly. "I've always admired your tenacity and fierce determination, Aisha," he admitted. "I'm glad to see you took the risk and allowed yourself the chance to experience happiness."

She gave him a grateful smile; his words meant a lot to her.

"Don't give her all the credit, bro. I'm the one that made the first move," mumbled Rocky sleepily, eyes still closed. Aisha rolled her eyes.

Billy gave a dry smile. "I also admire your patience. I imagine it cannot be easy to have a relationship with someone as… _uncouth_ as Rocky… or as idiotic."

Aisha let out a small giggle as Rocky huffed.

Adam walked into the day room bright-eyed and smiling with two bags in his hand, one black and the other pink. He was still on a high from his night with Tanya, giving him a megawatt smile that was permanently stuck on his face. On his back getting a piggyback ride was Kimberly, who was pouting now that the ride was over.

Kim slipped off his back, grabbing her bag from him. She pinched his cheek playfully. "Good horsey."

Billy watched the pair curiously as they made jokes at each other's expense. "Where's Tommy?" The question was directed at Kim.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Beats me."

He raised an eyebrow. "He didn't say when he'd be here?" he asked her.

She kept her eyes on Adam. "He's not here yet?" she asked.

Billy's right eyebrow joined his left, high on his forehead. If anyone would know-

"_He's in his quarters."_ He heard her voice in his head, though outwardly, Kimberly continued her conversation with Adam.

"_Any particular reason we're communicating telepathically instead of verbally?"_

"_Tommy's in his quarters. He needs to talk to you about something important. The others… We don't want to alert them."_

Billy slipped on an impassive gaze. "Excuse me for a moment. I need to pick up a few more supplies from my quarters. I'll return shortly," he said, heading out of the day room and directly for his team leader.

Billy stopped in front of Tommy's open door, his friend's back to him as he stared out the window.

"You requested my presence?" he asked.

Tommy didn't move. "Shut the door."

The blue ranger shut the door with a soft click, taking a seat on Tommy's desk. He waited for Tommy to speak, but the white ranger said nothing for some time.

"Forgive me, Tommy, but Kimberly informed me you needed to speak to me on a matter of great importance." He crossed his arms over his chest. "As it stands, however, you have yet to say anything that warrants –"

Tommy interrupted him, turning around to face his best friend. "The shard is doing something to us."

Billy remained silent for some time. "I know."

Tommy shot him a look. "How?" Billy shifted uncomfortably. "I examined your last few physical examinations over the last six months. Both yours and Kimberly's. I noticed a… disturbing trend in your vitals."

He cleared his throat. "It appears that they have been dropping rapidly since the mission to Greece. Everything from your blood pressure to your energy readings." Billy readjusted himself on the desk. "I looked for support for my hypothesis by contrasting your vital readings with the rest of ours."

"And?" asked Tommy.

Billy gave him a long look. "Without sufficient data, my hypothesis remains unconfirmed, theoretical at best."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "What's your hypothesis?" he asked directly. Billy gave him a sorrowful look.

"You and Kimberly are weakening. At an alarming rate, I'm afraid."

Tommy turned back to the window, arms crossed over his chest as he sighed. "I think your hypothesis is correct."

Billy's eyes widened. "You're certain?"

Tommy shrugged. "I spent the night at Kim's."

Billy nodded. "I was aware of this when your mother asked me to remind you about your uncle's wedding. I'm assuming you told her you were at my place?"

Tommy smiled. "Yeah. Saying I was at your house went over a hell of a lot better than me saying I was going to Kim's would have." Billy conceded his point.

Tommy took a seat on his bed. "You know how Kim and I have been having those visions, right?"

"Affirmative."

Tommy licked his lips. "The visions… they're of us having sex." He looked up at his blue-eyed friend. "But I'm sure you knew that."

Billy sighed. "Once it was discovered that Goldgoyle possessed the Shard of Brutality, it was apparent that the shard the two of you came in contact with was either desire or deceit. As neither Kimberly nor you have gone around lying to us, I suspected the shard in question was the Shard of Desire."

Tommy ran a hand over his face. "Well, your suspicions were right. The shard… when a vision happens, it sorta controls you, almost like being under a spell. Kim and I got caught up in a vision once and… went further than anticipated."

Billy's eyes bugged. "The two of you –"

Tommy shook his head. "No." He stood up then.

"Well- we, uh… after an incident in the janitor's closet, the visions got worse. And I mean _significantly_ worse. Up until then, they had never really been that in-depth… just quick flashes here and there." He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. "They got more vivid, more intense, more real… harder to fight."

Tommy sucked in a breath. "We took that final step last night." At Billy's look, Tommy shook his head. "Of our own free will. Up until then, Kim and I had been avoiding each other, not trusting ourselves to be near each other without acting on a vision. They were coming so frequently… couldn't risk it."

Tommy sat back down again. "We decided to take that step because we loved each other and it felt right."

He smiled briefly. "We were ready to go there, and we didn't want the choice to be made for us," he said fiercely.

Billy spoke up. "Am I correct in my assumption that the visions became worse after this?" Tommy looked at him confused, so he continued. "From my understanding, when the visions initially began, they only reached a certain level of intensity, correct?" At Tommy's confirmation, he pressed forward. "Having essentially fulfilled that desire by your… moment at school, the visions intensified. It would make sense that after consummating your relationship, whether by free will or through your vision, they would simply become worse."

Tommy was amazed at how _technical_ Billy made everything sound - so clinical. "I see. Well, you're right," he confirmed. "After that …" he trailed off for a moment, "things started getting out of hand."

"In what way?" the blue ranger asked.

Tommy took a deep breath. "We woke up having sex. And apparently," he pushed forward, ignoring Billy's expression, "we acted on it while sleeping, too."

"How do you know?" Tommy grimaced. "Kim woke up- during." Billy said nothing. He could read the emotions across his friend's face; he looked pained.

"When everything was over, our bodies felt… different."

Billy scrunched up his face. "Elaborate."

Tommy pondered how to describe it. "We felt stronger, faster… _better_. None of the fatigue or sluggishness from before. And we were glowing blue, like the shard. Our eyes, our hands… and it felt _good_," he admitted ruefully.

Billy studied him. "Interesting. And you say this happened after you... consummated your relationship? I wonder…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Continue."

Tommy cleared his throat. "Afterwards, it all went straight to hell." His face paled considerably. "I got hit with this overwhelming feeling; it was so powerful, Billy. Brought me to my knees, literally." Tommy stared out of the window. "It was too much, so I fought it. We both did."

Tommy shook his head.

"I felt like I was dying," he said softly. "It felt like…" he paused. "…like my insides were being ripped apart." He rubbed his abdomen absently. "When it ended, I was throwing up in Kim's living room."

"And Kim?" asked Billy after some time, absorbing this information.

"Same thing." Tommy looked at his friend. "The glowing… the pain…" He stared off into space.

Billy's mind was racing. When Kimberly told him to see Tommy, he knew it would be serious, but nothing quite like this. Billy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tommy, I must admit this is quite an unexpected development…"

Tommy gave him a look that clearly said 'no shit'.

"You stated that the two of you experienced pain whenever you attempted to… resist the effects of the shard, but when you surrendered to it, the reverse occurred and you felt empowered, enhanced in a sense?" asked the blue ranger.

"Yeah," said Tommy.

Billy moved to stand next to his friend. "You and Kimberly are in a most precarious position."

"I'm aware," said Tommy.

"I firmly believe the two of you should remain on Earth while the rest of us leave for this mission." Tommy's jaw tightened considerably. "You two are in no condition to be out on a foreign planet, even for a peaceful assignment such as this one." Tommy knew Billy was right. "With your visions and the repercussions of those visions if resisted…"

Billy didn't need to continue.

"While this is true," he started again, "I am certain that your presence is necessary. It would be unwise for only four of us to venture to Eltar and return with increased power while you and Kimberly remain here, significantly weaker." He sighed. "It is admittedly dangerous for you to be with us, but your vulnerability on Earth, coupled with an imbalance in power that is inevitable with our return if you remain… leaving the two of you is not an option."

Tommy gave him a small smile before his expression went serious. "We can't tell the others."

"Tommy, I am not sure that is the best course of action. The others need to be aware –"

"Of only what is absolutely necessary," he finished. "Billy, they can't know the seriousness of the situation. They're looking to me to lead them through this. Even though Rocky's qualified to lead the mission on his own, he still looks to me to take charge." Tommy sat on his bed.

"Not to mention, it would distract everyone. Kim and I don't want this to get out. Adam would hover because of their relationship, and I can't bear the sympathetic looks from Aisha. I'm only telling you because you're the smartest person I know, and you're the most rational of all of us… and you're my best friend."

Tommy looked up at him. "I know I can trust you to do what makes the most sense, regardless of feelings. You've always been an excellent advisor, even if I think sometimes you're a jerk." His attempt at humor placed a small smile on Billy's lips.

Billy said nothing in response for some time, sitting beside Tommy on the bed. "You need to inform them of the visible effects of the shard at the very least, Tommy. We need to be able to tell when the shard is affecting you. And you may also want to explain the… physical effects."

At Tommy's startled look, Billy held up his hands defensively. "I do not mean relay what the shard makes you and Kimberly do, but the enhancements of the shard. You mentioned that you felt stronger and faster, correct? And you also pointed out that going against the shard made you incredibly weak."

Tommy understood where he was going with this.

"Regardless of whether or not you want the others to know you two are in danger, it is inevitable," Billy said firmly. His heart broke for both of his friends, as he couldn't begin to fathom what the two teens were going through.

"I have no doubt the shard will have an effect on both of you while we are away. They deserve to know, _in advance_," he stressed heavily, "that the two of you may be out of commission during this mission. If we have to make preparations for your being sick… or worse, have to restrain you due to your apparently increased strength while under the shard's influence, it needs to be discussed now."

Tommy's head was in his hands, his body hot with anger. Billy continued hesitantly, knowing his next words would undoubtedly set Tommy off.

"You also need to notify Rocky that he will be leading the mission. I am sorry, Tommy, but I refuse to allow you to both partake in this mission and lead it in your present condition." His tone was final.

Tommy knew he could simply ignore his friend's request. Billy had no authority over him, and his words were just that at best – words. Billy knew, however, that Tommy would listen to him, despite the harsh reality of what was said. Tommy respected Billy's intellect and friendship too much to go against him simply out of pride if he knew his best interests were at heart.

"I am aware that Rocky does look to you for leadership. He always has, but as second-in-command, he must assume the position of leader if you are unfit to do so yourself – he knows that. Given that the mission is peaceful and you will still be with us, I believe that he will handle it admirably, though he will be thrust into that position."

Tommy knew there was truth in Billy's words, but it still stung like hell to know he had to give up leadership for this mission for something he had no control over. Tommy took a deep breath. "I will agree on one condition."

Billy raised an eyebrow.

"You have to serve as Rocky's second-in-command. If anything happens, I know you can lead this team safely."

Billy merely observed his long-haired friend. The two had talked before about Billy having a leadership position on the team. Billy had originally been selected to serve as Tommy's second-in-command; however, the blue ranger refused, having no desire to fill that role. It was then decided, after a long debate, that Rocky would be the second leader. Tommy originally thought Rocky too impulsive, arrogant, and stubborn to lead anything, but Billy quickly pointed out how Tommy himself possessed those same qualities, as well as patience, understanding, determination and bravery.

Although Tommy could admit that Rocky proved to be a suitable second-in-command, he still sometimes wished it was Billy behind him instead. However, he grew to trust and respect Rocky and was confident in his abilities.

Billy thought long before providing his answer. "Affirmative."

Tommy let out a deep breath. "Okay," he said softly, standing to his feet and grabbing his bag. "Let's get this over with."

Billy cleared his throat. "Before you leave, there is something I need to share with you." Tommy glanced at him curiously. "And you may want to sit."

Slowly, Tommy sank back onto the bed.

"Zordon is still withholding information from us."

Tommy scoffed. "I figured."

Billy pressed on. "After I discovered the disturbing trend in your vitals, I brought it to Zordon's attention. I was… perplexed that he did not have as strong of a reaction as I did. He was unnaturally calm, and his suggestion was to use the Ninjetti coins to reenergize the two of you."

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't make any sense. If we used the Ninjetti, we would kill ourselves. Why the hell would he even suggest something like that?"

Billy sighed. "My thoughts precisely. Needless to say, I was extremely frustrated and understandably livid at Zordon's seeming inability to comprehend the severity of the situation, so I left immediately."

Billy stood up slowly, his body losing its rigidity. "What is it, Billy?"

The dirty blond looked down. "I'm not quite sure how it escaped my notice… I suppose in my ire, I had not been paying as much attention to what's around me as I normally do." He paused. "Several days after getting the results, I discovered a message at the bottom of the printout – a coded message – in hexadecimal numbers. I'm assuming it was from Alpha."

At Tommy's silence, Billy continued. "I believe he was trying to ensure that Zordon wouldn't find out."

Tommy considered this. "What did it say?"

"It read 'IVAN OOZE DEATH. TRUTH. SECRET. NINJOR.'"

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "What the hell does any of this have to do with Ivan Ooze?"

Billy shrugged. "The only connection I could make was that at one time, he too had possession of a shard. I am as confused as you are, but it appears we will know soon enough."

Tommy stood, walking to the door; Billy stood behind him. The white ranger paused in his stride. "What results were you talking about earlier?" Billy gave him a blank look. "You said Alpha wrote on the bottom of a printout of test results. What test and what were the results?"

Billy felt his chest tighten considerably, and he took a deep breath before speaking.

"I was justifiably concerned by the inexplicable fatigue that was affecting you and Kimberly. I asked the computer to analyze the decrease in your respective energy readings and provide a reasonable estimate of when your energy would reach a level at which you could no longer function."

Tommy stared at him. "How long did it say?" he asked softly.

Billy coughed. "To be fair, the results are completely irrelevant now. Given this unanticipated advancement in your condition, it appears the expected trend no longer applies."

"How long?" asked Tommy gruffly. He knew Billy rambled as a method of avoidance.

"Three weeks," he said quietly. Billy looked at his friend, and for a brief period of time saw true fear in Tommy's eyes. The white ranger closed his eyes, swallowing hard.

"Let's go."

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

Kimberly sat on the arm rest as Adam's head rested against her thigh. She was still quite sore from this morning; Kimberly's face began to flush.

This morning.

Tommy had been so passionate when he took her. She bit her lip as she thought of the ways he slid inside her throughout the night.

Kimberly had always imagined her first time being with the man she loved, and was fortunate enough to have that experience. It had been painful and a tad scary losing her virginity, but it had been worth it in the end. Tommy had taken such good care of her and made their first time memorable.

What followed afterwards, though…? She gave an involuntary shudder. Was it wrong that through all the craziness and lack of control and fear…

She loved it.

Kim knew how Tommy hated what was happening to them, and on some level, she felt the same way. They were stripped of their free will, acting on their most secret desires because of something they accidentally touched while trying to save the universe.

It was wrong. It was unfair.

It was exhilarating.

When Kim woke up in the middle of the night to Tommy between her legs, fucking her with abandon, she had been confused… and completely aroused. She remembered the lustful expression on his face as he took her, his insatiable appetite for her body, and his need to make her climax over and over again…

Kimberly felt a deep stirring in her stomach, causing her to seize up in panic.

'_Not now!' _she thought to herself.

She focused on quelling the feeling, relieved when it finally faded away. Kimberly was aware that what she had felt had been simple lust, nothing like the feeling induced from the shard, but all the same, it terrified her.

And then she remembered the rest of that morning.

The excruciating pain she felt from that wave… Kimberly had literally felt like she was on fire. Her skin had been so hot, sticky with sweat in a matter of seconds. She remembered when her throat closed up, and she was gasping, wheezing for oxygen…

"Kim?"

She snapped out of her reverie, looking up at Rocky with a frown on her face. He was looking at her curiously.

"Hmm?"

"You all right?" She nodded, though her face indicated otherwise. He held out his hand to her, holding a strawberry Pop-Tart in silver foil. Kimberly felt a smile cross her lips as she took it from him, taking a bite.

Ever since they were eleven-year-olds, Kimberly had been receiving a Pop-Tart from Rocky Desantos whenever she was feeling bad.

_Kimberly sat on the merry-go-round in the park, eyes puffy and wet as she hugged her knees to her chest._

_It had been a week since her father had moved out of the house and three days since he had filed for a divorce. The preteen hadn't taken the news from her mother well and had been crying seemingly nonstop. Just thinking of how her parents screamed at each other, faces flushed from anger and frustration, brought another set of tears to her eyes._

_She couldn't forget how he yelled about being unhappy where he was, unfulfilled… her mother screaming something about Rebecca, the nice assistant at his office._

_Kim could vividly recall seeing her mother crying hysterically from her perch on the staircase. Her father had told her to go to her room, and she left, closing the door but never actually going inside. She watched him storm off in anger, eyes blazing. She remembered how the house shook as the door slammed loudly, her mother crumpled on the floor in a heap._

_Kimberly sniffed as she sat alone, the wind blowing gently through her hair. She had told Aisha and Trini about it. The two girls had been her best female friends since they were five. They gave her a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent her frustrations._

_But at the moment, Kimberly wanted to be alone._

_She adored her friends, but she was tired of their sympathetic glances and worried looks, as if she would break at any second. Granted, Kimberly felt as if she _would_ lose it any day now, but didn't need her friends to add to that belief._

"_Hey, Kim," said a breathless Rocky as he ran up to her. Kimberly gasped before wiping her eyes quickly. Rocky's smile dropped when he noticed that his friend looked upset. He observed her swollen eyes and flushed cheeks._

"_Um… are you okay?" he asked awkwardly._

_Kim rolled her eyes; Rocky was such a boy. "I'm fine, Rocky," she croaked, voice hoarse from crying._

"_You sure? You look like you've been crying," he stated._

_She gave an irritated sigh. He had a way of stating the obvious. "I was, but now I'm not so you can go away now," she snapped, internally wincing at her attitude._

_Rocky simply looked at her._

"_Sorry," she muttered._

_He sat beside her on the merry-go-round. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked after a few minutes._

_She looked over at him. "Do you?"_

_He shrugged. "Not really, but that's always what Aisha says to people when they're upset. Seemed like the right thing to say."_

_Kim felt her lips twitch slightly in humor. She took a deep breath. "My dad's gone."_

"_Like on a trip?"_

_She gave a dry laugh. "Yeah –a permanent trip. My parents are getting a divorce. Dad's moving away," she said softly._

_Rocky crossed his legs. "That sucks." Kim silently agreed. _

_Rocky played with his hands for a while nervously, not knowing what to say in response. Suddenly, he reached into his jean pocket, pulling out a rectangular piece of foil._

"_Want a Pop-Tart?"_

_Kim was thrown by the randomness of his question. "What?" she asked confused._

_He gave a lopsided smile. "Do you want a Pop-Tart?" he asked again._

"_Um… no? Rocky, why would I want a Pop-Tart right now? And where'd you even get that?" she asked incredulously._

_He blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got it from home. Grabbed it before my dad brought us here."_

_He looked around a bit before leaning over to her conspiratorially. "Between you and me," he motioned between them, "they work wonders. Especially the strawberry ones." Kim raised an eyebrow._

"_When I get upset… I eat a lot. And I mean anything – popcorn, pizza, chips, you name it." He stared at the foil in his hand. "I don't know why… but Pop-Tarts always work the best." He grinned shyly. "I always end up feeling better."_

_Kim stared at the foil in his hand before her eyes connected with his. She knew in his own crazy way, he was trying to help her, and she actually found it kind of sweet._

_She took the Pop-Tart from him, opening the paper and taking one out. It was strawberry-flavored. She bit into it carefully, smiling at the sweetness of it. Rocky gave her a wide smile, taking out the other and eating it as well._

"_Thanks, Rocky," she said softly before laughing at the mess the boy made from devouring the treat._

_It wasn't until her mother called her over to leave did she realize that she really did feel much better than before._

"Seemed like you could use one," he said with a pointed stare.

She smiled weakly. "Yeah."

"Kim, what's –" He stopped speaking when he realized her focus was not on him but past him. He turned to see Tommy and Billy behind him, both wearing serious expressions.

All of the rangers stopped what they were doing, turning their attention to their leader.

"Before we leave for Eltar," began Tommy, "there are a few things that we need to go over." Kim peered at him closely, and he resisted the urge to look at her.

"We will still be leaving for Eltar at nine. Everyone should have already packed their essentials for this quest. We will not be returning until our mission is complete." His tone left no room for argument.

After a moment, Tommy sighed heavily. "Due to recent… changes, this mission will be led by Rocky-"

"What?" the red ranger asked loudly, his face scrunched in confusion.

"-with Billy holding the position of second-in-command," Tommy continued, ignoring Rocky's outburst. Adam and Aisha looked at each other questioningly.

"Tommy, what are you talking about? I'm not leading this mission," said Rocky forcefully.

"I expect you to treat them with the same respect as me. I will be present during this trip-" His voice was raised, speaking over Rocky.

"If you're going to be present, why the hell aren't you leading?" asked Rocky heatedly. "You're the goddamn leader!"

Tommy's jaw clenched tightly. He turned quickly to Rocky. "BECAUSE I _CAN'T!_" he exploded. The red ranger paused, not prepared for Tommy to yell at him.

"I _want_ to be out there, doing my job as the leader, Rocky, but for reasons beyond my control, I can't!" he yelled.

He walked closer to Rocky, getting in his face. "I cannot handle being leader on this mission, Rocky. I entrusted you with the position of second-in-command because I believed you would be able to take charge when the time calls. Now's the time."

His voice dropped to a whisper, "Step up and do your job."

Tommy turned, leaving Rocky speechless. Kimberly stared at her boyfriend, knowing from his body language he was trying to remain strong in the face of his team.

"Due to the effects of the Imanyd shard, both Kimberly and I will be vulnerable during this mission. I do not believe we will face any danger on Eltar, given that Lord Zedd and Rita avoid it like the plague and Goldar is presently in our galaxy." He looked around. "It was decided that although we will be vulnerable, our presence is needed on Eltar. We cannot have an imbalance in the power of our team. That would provide us with an obvious weakness that can be exploited in battle."

Tommy took a deep breath. "While we are on Eltar, the Imanyd shard will most likely have an effect on the two of us." He took a long pause and for a moment, Billy thought Tommy might not continue.

"_It's okay, handsome,"_ Kimberly said in his head.

Tommy cleared his throat. "When Kimberly and I are under the shard's control, our eyes and bodies begin to glow a faint blue, similar to the glow of the shards. We have reason to believe that the shard boosts our energy levels, making us unnaturally strong and quick."

"What do you want us to do if this happens?" Adam asked.

"Restrain us." The others shot him a worried glance. "Tie us up; lock us away. Just… keep us away from each other." He ignored Kim's pained expression.

"If we find each other and…" he searched for words, "…act under the shard's influence, the situation could get drastically worse. You cannot allow that to happen. Under any circumstance."

The other rangers agreed to this request. "You should also be aware of a… side effect of not acting under the shard's influence." He looked at Kim, who gave him a sad smile. She knew this wasn't easy for him to talk about, especially to the rest of the team, but as their leader, he had to tell them.

"There are painful repercussions. You may hear us scream in agony, or watch us writhe in pain. We've already experienced suffocation, high fever, and severe nausea from this."

Adam flashed a look of deep concern at Kim, unaware that the two of them had been going through so much.

"Do not let your sympathy as our friends keep you from doing as I say. You are rangers, and I am giving you an order," stated Tommy firmly. "Even if we beg you… do not set us loose." No one said anything, but Tommy knew his order was understood.

"Any questions?" He looked into their eyes, seeing thousands of questions hitting him at once, but none were voiced.

He turned to Rocky. "Your call."

Rocky stared at his friend, eyes wild, body tense.

Rocky looked around, eyes connecting with Billy as the weight of leadership fell on him suddenly. He took a deep breath, reassured by Billy's silent encouragement and Tommy's confidence.

"Let's do it."


	11. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: **Here's the next chapter. Thanks for the awesome review. Please read and review. Hope y'all like. And this chapter is rated M for graphic sexual content..._

* * *

**Eltar**

**Desert of Despair**

**Local time, unknown**

The six teens materialized at the edge of what Zordon called the Desert of Despair. Ninjor had retired to Eltar after centuries of travelling through space. He had discovered the power of the Ninjetti on Eltar and felt it only right to come back to where everything started.

"Kind of a foreboding name, don't ya think?" asked Rocky as the teens began their journey, bags in hand.

"Foreboding but seemingly appropriate," muttered Billy as the sound of a woman wailing in pain reached their ears.

The air was hot and humid, and the rangers instantly felt their clothes stick to their bodies as they walked. Billy held the map in his hand.

"I'm not sure what the scale is for this map," he admitted. "We should be looking for a distinct rock formation, but it is difficult to determine how far we must travel." He looked off into the distance. "I would assume quite far."

Rocky sighed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "All right. Let's just keep walking forward. Billy, you manage the map. We have enough water and food to last us several days." He looked around him. "Zordon said this place would be booby trapped out the ass, so we need to be on the lookout." The six teens trekked forward, the harsh sunlight of this galaxy beating down on them relentlessly.

Tommy walked in the rear of the group, fingers interlocked tightly with Kim's. He wasn't normally one for public displays of affection, so when his larger hand grabbed hers and threaded their fingers together, Kimberly was slightly surprised. Adam stood behind them, eyeing them like a hawk. He was a bit wary of them holding hands, but he knew this was hard on both of them, and they often looked to each other to deal with their problems.

Tommy walked in his white wifebeater and khaki shorts, his falcon tattoo visible on the skin that peeked through. His body was tense, and Kim rubbed her thumb on the back of his hand.

"Talk to me," she said softly. Tommy said nothing. Kimberly sighed. He was already shutting down, and the mission had only just started.

"Well, if you're not going to talk, I want you to listen," she stated. The tightening of his grip on her hand was the only indication he gave that he heard her.

"I know you want to be in front, leading the team. It's what your job is – you're our leader." She paused. "And I know it's killing you right now to be in the back while Rocky leads this mission." His grip tightened slightly. "The fact that you recognized that you needed to step down in order for this mission to be successful and that you took charge and informed everyone of the situation before leaving for Eltar… that takes great strength."

Tommy chuckled quietly. "I'm nowhere near as virtuous and strong as you make it seem, Kim. It was Billy who told me I should do it."

Kim smiled. "Billy made a suggestion; you're the one that did it. He has no control over what you actually do – we both know that as well as he does. His advice could have easily been ignored and no one would have known the difference." She released his hand, running a finger up and down his spine. "You made the choice, Tommy. You were a true leader, and I'm proud of you."

She looked up at him from the side as she continued. "Being in the front doesn't make you a leader. It's the decisions you make and how you handle tough situations, like this one."

He said nothing, only moving to snake his arm around her waist. He gave her hip a gentle squeeze, and she knew it was his way of saying thank you. Kimberly leaned into him, running her hand up and down his spine softly.

Tommy suddenly tensed up, standing still. Adam, slightly dazed from the heat, ran into the white ranger's back. Kimberly was stiff beside him as well.

"Tommy, what the –?" Adam's eyes widened as he saw the faint blue glow on Tommy's and Kimberly's skin. He looked at their eyes, seeing the faint wisps of blue swirling there.

"Guys! It's –" Tommy whirled on Adam, shoving him hard. Adam flew several feet before slamming into the ground, the world spinning in front of his eyes.

The others rushed them. Rocky grabbed onto Kimberly from behind, locking the petite girl in place. She struggled against him, kicking him in the shin. Aisha ran over to her, holding Kim's face in her hands as she tried to talk to her.

"Fight it, Kim! Please! Don't let it control you!" she pleaded with the pink ranger. Kimberly was breathing heavily, her skin covered in beads of sweat as she fought for control.

Billy held Tommy on the ground, bracing an arm securely against his best friend's throat. Tommy's eyes shifted between pale blue and dark brown rapidly, and Billy could see the strain in his friend's face as he fought for control. Tommy's skin felt burning hot, and Billy was alarmed to see his friend's body begin to shake violently.

Rocky grunted hard as Kimberly slammed her head back into his face, causing him to immediately lose his grip. Aisha gave a startled yelp when Kim's eyes turned completely blue and she grabbed her arm, throwing Aisha in the air to land nearly twenty feet away from her.

Adam slammed into the pink ranger from behind, tackling her onto her stomach and pinning her down.

"Kim, please stop! I don't wanna hurt you!" he yelled at her. She grunted below him, writhing to get him off of her.

A piercing scream caught everyone's attention, and they all looked on in horror as they saw Aisha standing a few feet away, buried up to her knees in quicksand. Rocky shook his head roughly before crawling over to her. He grabbed her arm, but quickly lost his grip from a dizzy spell; Kim had hit him hard.

"Somebody help!" he screamed. Rocky's shout jolted Kimberly and Tommy out of their haze, and the two blinked rapidly as their vision cleared.

Seeing the Tommy and Kim were okay, Adam and Billy raced over to Rocky. Aisha was now more than halfway buried in the quicksand and quickly slipping.

Billy assessed the situation quickly, focusing on getting Aisha out. "All right, we need to form a chain."

He turned, motioning for Adam to lock his arm with his. Adam followed quickly, and Rocky scrambled to his feet. Billy leaned over; reaching out to grab Aisha's flailing arms. She was now buried to her chest. Billy managed to grab onto her arm before Rocky lost his footing, causing Aisha to lose her grip and Billy to almost topple into the quicksand with her.

"Fuck!" swore Rocky loudly, running a hand through his hair as he paced. Aisha slipped further into the sand, almost buried to her neck.

"Tommy, come over here!" ordered Rocky. Tommy moved over to them, locking arms with Rocky. Given that Tommy was bigger and stronger than the red ranger, he was better suited to be the anchor for the chain.

The boys quickly linked arms again, and Billy reached out to Aisha once more. Billy grabbed her left hand, and yelled for everyone to pull. Kimberly scrambled over to Aisha, grabbing the yellow ranger's other hand as she was pulled from the quicksand.

Aisha fell on Billy as she was finally free of the quicksand, and the blue ranger hugged her to him. She was shaking all over from a combination of fear and adrenaline. Rocky quickly moved over to her, pulling her from Billy to rest securely in his arms.

"That was too close," he breathed heavily into her hair. She hugged him tightly, mind reeling from nearly dying a few moments ago.

Rocky closed his eyes, a mixture of happiness and anger hitting him at once. He was grateful that Aisha was all right, but this was the second time she was a victim to one of Tommy and Kimberly's episodes. The red ranger released her after some time, moving to stand before the white and pink rangers.

The guilt rolled off of them in waves; he was nearly overcome by its intensity. Kimberly had her arms wrapped around her stomach, her brown eyes begging Aisha for forgiveness. Tommy's eyes remained fixed on ground, but the rigidity of his posture spoke volumes.

"You two," began Rocky, "are to remain away from each other for the remainder of this mission unless stated otherwise." He eyed them both. "It is obvious that being close to each other is causing problems." He shot a look in Aisha's direction. "We can't afford any other situations like what just happened."

Rocky turned to Adam. "You and I are in charge of Tommy." Rocky looked to Billy. "You and Aisha look after Kimberly."

Billy raised an eyebrow at the choice of bodyguards.

"Tommy is incredibly skilled at martial arts; Adam and I are the only ones that stand a chance at stopping him if he decides to use those skills, especially since he turns into the Hulk when possessed. Kim's damn strong, too, but I think you and Aisha should be able to get her."

Tommy felt himself heat up, annoyed he was being talked about like he wasn't present. Kim remained silent.

"It was an accident, Rocky," said Adam in their defense.

Rocky shot him a bemused look. "I don't care what it was," he said gruffly before turning to the two rangers in question. "I know you guys would never purposefully endanger any of us. But you're not on the other end of your little attacks, okay? Tommy, you _threw_ Adam across the desert. Kim did the same to Aisha and nearly bashed my face in." Kim blushed slightly.

Billy stepped forward. "I must admit there is some merit to Rocky's logic." He shot his friends a sympathetic look. "I suggest we simply test out Rocky's solution and keep you two separated for the remainder of our time on Eltar."

Adam looked to his friends sympathetically; he couldn't argue for them anymore.

Kim walked away from Tommy, standing next to Billy. Tommy remained where he was, Rocky and Adam flanked on either side. He watched as Aisha moved to stand on Kimberly's right, her hand reaching out to grab the pink ranger's, squeezing gently.

Tommy said nothing as he walked between Adam and Rocky, his energy devoted to counting backwards from one million in order to calm down.

"_T, I know you're upset,"_ said Rocky telepathically. The white ranger said nothing.

"_I'm trying to do the best I can right now," _Rocky admitted softly. "_I didn't want to do this to you and Kim but I'm not left with too many options."_ He sighed, ready to give up altogether when he didn't hear a response from the older teen for a long time.

"_I get why you did it, and I would've done the same thing. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it," _Tommy said finally.

Rocky knew Tommy wouldn't say much more than this, but at least he knew his friend understood his position.

* * *

The rest of their trip through the desert was relatively calm, minus the one mishap where Kimberly broke Billy's arm in three places. The pink ranger was mortified to see what she had done to her friend in her attempt to get to Tommy and apologized profusely. Billy assured her he was fine; Aisha had healed him quickly once she got over her initial shock of Kimberly breaking Billy's bones.

Adam hadn't fared much better. After Tommy performed a judo flip on Rocky, slamming the red ranger hard onto the hot sand, he slammed his fists hard into Adam's ribs, cracking at least two. Aisha had to summon her animal spirit to restrain Tommy as he made his way to Kim, knocking the boy unconscious in order to deal with the pink ranger. She pulled Kimberly off of an injured Billy, using their telepathy to communicate with her when talking aloud seemed to fail. She quickly joined Aisha in healing their friends.

The teens traveled for what seemed like hours, all significantly darker from their exposure to the sun. Billy looked up in the sky, noticing the sun going down. It was going to be dark soon.

Standing next to Rocky, Billy spoke. "I suggest we find shelter. Sunlight is dwindling, and we need to rest."

Rocky looked around, pointing at large rocks in the distance that appeared to form a cave. "That's the only place out here that looks like it can hold all of us." He turned to the group.

"Guy, we're heading to those rocks over there. We're going to take a break and rest for the night." The rest of them sighed, happy for the pause in their trek. They doubled their pace, running towards the rocks.

Upon reaching the rocks, the teens were happy to find there was not only plenty of space inside, but a hot spring as well.

"Yes," Aisha moaned happily at the sight of water. Kimberly followed her friend, wanting desperately to wash off the filth of the day.

"Okay, guys," said Rocky, dropping his bag, "seeing as Kim and Aisha are about to combust over the spring, let's give them first dibs on the bath." The boys laughed as the girls flipped them off, running full speed to the water.

As the girls washed up, the boys began to set up camp on the other side of the cave.

"I'm going to do a perimeter check," said Tommy.

"I'll join you," Adam volunteered.

Before Tommy could leave, Rocky grabbed his arm.

"Hey…right now, I think it'd be okay for you and Kim to have some alone time." Tommy gave Rocky an appreciative nod before joining Adam.

The two headed out walking around the outside. They found nothing out of the ordinary, just a few indigenous plants and a small waterfall on the outside of the rocks.

"How are you doing?" asked Adam.

Tommy had been waiting for Adam to ask the question. "Okay, I guess."

Adam looked at Tommy sadly. "I had no idea you two were suffering so much."

Tommy grimaced at Adam's pitying tone. "Yeah, well… we'll manage," he said tightly. Adam could sense Tommy's agitation and chose to remain silent. Tommy rolled his eyes, knowing Adam was simply being a friend while he was being an ass.

"Sorry," he muttered gruffly. "It's just not something I'm entirely comfortable with discussing with anyone that isn't Kim."

Adam smiled. "No big. It's personal for you. I can respect that."

Tommy stared at Adam for some time before smiling back. "Thanks."

Tommy suddenly looked around, a chill running up and down his spine as he saw a shadow in the distance.

"Adam," he hissed. The black ranger followed his gaze, seeing nothing. The figure had disappeared.

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "I thought I saw…" he trailed off.

"I don't know; I didn't see anything. Maybe it was the heat?" Adam offered.

Tommy shook his head. "We're not alone." Although Adam hadn't seen anything unusual, he couldn't help but feel the same as Tommy.

Back in the cave, Billy watched in amusement as Rocky paced back and forth around the cave.

"Rocky, please refrain from pacing. It is making me feel a tad nauseous."

The red ranger smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Billy… I'm just kinda riled up."

Billy peered at him. "Care to elaborate?" Rocky shook his head, causing Billy to roll his eyes.

"You know, it is okay to be nervous about leading the mission, Rocky…" The boy continued to ignore the blue ranger. "And to be nervous about your girlfriend being completely naked merely feet away."

As Rocky turned scarlet, Billy knew he found the problem. "I'm not nervous," he defended weakly.

Billy laughed at him. "Of course not."

Tommy and Adam reentered the cave. The white ranger looked at Rocky curiously. "Why are you all red?"

"I'm not!" sputtered Rocky.

Billy grinned. "Rocky was imagining Aisha naked."

Adam's eyebrows shot up high on his forehead. "Really, Rocky? You can't calm it down even on a mission?"

Rocky glared. "I wasn't thinking that! Billy's wrong."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Billy's never wrong."

The blue ranger crossed his arms over his chest. "It's perfectly fine, Rocky. You're a heterosexual male who has a very attractive girlfriend. To think of her in that way is –"

Rocky cut him off. "What do you mean very attractive?" His tone was angry.

"Well, Rocky… he means Aisha's really pretty," supplied Adam.

Rocky threw Adam a glare. "Oh, so you think so, too?" Adam looked at Rocky, confused.

Tommy shook his head, walking past them. "I'm going outside to take a shower from the little waterfall we found. You guys are idiots." He paused before exiting the cave, bag in hand. "And if you mention Aisha naked again… I'm going to kick your teeth in, Rocky."

The red ranger forgot his ire at the threat. "But I didn't…" he sighed, watching Tommy's retreating form.

"You didn't what?" asked Aisha from behind. Rocky turned in surprise, eyes raking over her now clean, slightly wet form. Kimberly stood at the back of the cave, snickering at the stupid expression on Rocky's face. Shaking her head, she walked past them, heading out the cave. She wanted to watch the sunset from one of the rocks.

Kimberly found a small rock, sitting on it as she looked out at the horizon. The sun in this galaxy was smaller than theirs, but felt much hotter. Kimberly closed her eyes, letting the sun's rays kiss her skin.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt arms wrap around her waist. She heard chuckling behind her and she turned, smacking Tommy in the chest. He pulled away from her, moving to sit at her side.

"You're an ass," she mumbled. He pouted, moving to kiss her, only to get her cheek instead of her lips.

"Damn, it's like that now?"

She nodded, focusing on the sunset with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Tommy sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Kimberly leaned over, resting against his lean form. Tommy's skin was a bit damp from his shower, his hair significantly darker and curling slightly from the water. He had on sweatpants but left his shirt in his bag. Kim herself had on shorts and a long-sleeved t-shirt, one of Tommy's, in fact. Seeing her wearing his shirt caused a stirring in his groin.

The two sat together silently, watching as the last few rays of sunlight disappeared into the darkness.

Kim smiled. "That was beautiful," she said softly, getting up off of the rock. She grabbed Tommy's hands, pulling for him to get up. He shook his head, yanking her towards him. She let out a small squeal before their lips collided sensuously. Tommy slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, sliding off the rock to tower over her.

"I have a confession, and I'm not sure how you're going to take it," she whispered. Tommy looked at her questioningly.

"This morning… when we were…" she trailed off. "When you were out of it but I was aware of what was going on, I kind of liked it," she admitted.

Tommy gave her a startled look. "Really?"

She nodded as she looked up at him. "I like it when you take control. We both know I can take care of myself and that I absolutely detest men that are controlling, but it was kinda sexy with you being so… domineering," she said huskily. "It was pretty wild to wake up to you being like that. It was exciting."

Tommy tightened his grip around her waist. "I'll keep that in mind," he said lowly, and she could see the wheels turning in his head.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she murmured softly.

Tommy looked at her sadly. "I know. With all the trouble we caused today… this is not the best thing for us to be focused on." Even though the words were coming out of his mouth, his grip on her waist tightened and his lips pressed softly against hers.

Kimberly nipped at his lips softly, sliding her tongue into his mouth. Tommy pulled back when the need for air arose, looking at her with obvious intent.

"Tommy?" she asked breathlessly. He looked at her thoughtfully.

"We'll make it quick," he said lowly.

Kim bit her lip, glancing behind her at the cave before nodding quickly. Tommy pulled her with him, walking around a large rock, hidden from anyone's view.

Quickly, he cupped her face, kissing her hotly. Kim groaned, her hands skimming his bare chest and abdomen. Tommy moved to her neck, hands sliding down her back to cup her ass. She gasped as he caressed her cheeks gently before lifting her against the rock. She reached into his pants, stroking him as he licked the hollow of her throat. Tommy reached for her waist, yanking her shorts and panties down her legs.

Kim rolled his sweatpants down his hips, and he yanked them down to mid-thigh. Tommy ground himself against her heat, the two of them groaning at the intimate contact. Kim was surprised by how wet she was.

Tommy kissed her firmly as he entered her in one stroke, muffling the small squeal she made when he sank all the way inside. Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly, and Tommy set a fast pace. Kimberly felt her body slide up and down the flat rock, and her eyes closed as she felt Tommy ram into her again and again. Tommy slapped one hand against the rock, biting back his groans as he fucked her deeply. Kimberly let out several weak moans during their coupling that began to increase in volume, forcing Tommy to cover her mouth with his hand.

"Shh," he grunted in her ear, rocking his hips forcefully against hers. Kimberly rolled her head back against the rock involuntarily as Tommy hit a wonderful spot deep within her. Tommy let out harsh breaths, his pelvis slamming into hers over and over. Kimberly rotated her hips against his, causing him to grind against her clit as he thrust. She arched against him, feeling her orgasm building deep in her stomach.

Tommy removed his hand from her mouth, using both hands to grab her hips to fuck her harder. Kimberly twisted beneath him, her eyes crossing as her face contorted from the pleasure. Quickly, she grabbed his face, kissing him hard as she cried out her release in his mouth, her walls tightening uncontrollably around his shaft. Her climax triggered his own, and Tommy felt himself buck hard as he pumped his seed inside of her.

The two came to rest against the rock, breathing heavily. Tommy kissed Kimberly hotly, and she moaned, sure if they continued they would be back to having sex.

She pulled away from him, resting her forehead against his. "We have to get back," she said softly. Tommy sighed, slipping out of her slowly. He was about to protest before he felt the strangest sensation of being watched. Tommy looked around quickly, seeing yellow eyes gazing at him from the dark beyond Kimberly.

Four sets of yellow eyes.

He looked down at Kim. "We need to go. Now." The two redressed, fixing their clothes before heading back to the group. Before walking in, Tommy looked back once more.

And saw nothing.

The teen was now more convinced than ever something was out there.

* * *

Upon entering the cave, they found their friends sitting around a fire talking. Kim sat between Adam and Aisha, while Tommy moved to sit beside Billy. Kim gave a small smile at seeing Aisha's hand in Rocky's.

"I don't know," said Adam. "I just don't think it's possible."

"I agree," said Billy.

Rocky scoffed. "I'm telling you, it could totally happen."

"_There's something out there,"_ said Tommy in their heads. _"Something is following us. A cloaked figure and at least four creatures with yellow eyes. I think we're being watched. Do not let them know we can sense them."_

"What are they talking about?" Kim asked Aisha quietly, pretending to go along with the conversation.

"If X-Men could be real," said the yellow ranger with a roll of her eyes, though the other rangers could see from her body she was alert for a fight. Kim shook her head.

"Think about it," continued Rocky, subtly looking for any movement in the shadows. "We never thought it was possible for all of us to be superheroes, fighting intergalactic beings and stuff. Why can't there be mutants that can read minds or control the weather?"

"We've seen creatures that can blow things up by just thinking it, breathe fire… one of our main enemies is a big blue and gold flying monkey with a sword and a black belt for crying out loud! Mutants can totally exist."

The other five rangers sat quietly, pondering Rocky's logic, but mainly, using their Ninjetti senses to detect any other beings around them.

Tommy shook his head. "Nope, hell no. Absolutely not."

"You know it makes sense," reasoned Rocky.

Kim laughed. "Rocky, you're completely –" She cut herself off with a gasp, shutting her eyes, a blinding light hitting her.

Rocky frowned. "Kim, you okay?" he asked concerned. Billy turned to look at Tommy, startled to see blue in his eyes where there was once dark brown.

The white ranger's skin had a faint blue glow, and he walked with purpose over to the pink ranger. Kimberly was also blue, and she began to head for Tommy.

"Shit," mumbled Aisha. They were anticipating the creatures from outside, but not this.

"Restrain them!" yelled Rocky as he ran at Tommy from the side, tackling him to the ground. The white ranger threw Rocky off of him, getting back up easily.

Kimberly was being held back by Billy and Aisha, wiggling violently to be freed. "LET ME GO!" she screamed at them, nearly breaking free at the surge of strength.

Tommy ran for her, but Rocky grabbed his foot, taking him down. The white ranger kicked the teen in the shoulder, and Rocky let out a pained yell. Tommy began to crawl towards Kimberly, but Adam jumped on top of him, holding him down.

"Rocky, help me!" he yelled. The red ranger scrambled over, helping Adam keep their leader down. Tommy bucked hard, growling at them as he growled at them.

"RELEASE ME," he snarled, his voice significantly deeper than normal.

"Billy, can you hold Kim down on your own?" asked Rocky. The blue ranger nodded. "Aisha, run to Billy's pack. He has some rope we can use to tie them up."

Aisha clambered off of Kimberly, running full speed to Billy's gym bag at the mouth of the cave. She gave a startled scream when she was suddenly on her back, a huge blue, two-headed dog-like creature on top of her, jaws snapping. Its yellow eyes looked crazed.

Rocky looked on in horror. "AISHA!" he yelled loudly, moving to help her.

Adam grabbed him quickly, holding him down so as to keep Tommy on the ground. "Aisha can take care of herself," he wheezed, receiving a kick to the shin from a possessed Tommy. "We need to get these two under control."

Billy sat straddling Kimberly, pinning her arms down as best he could. "Kimberly, fight it! Come on, I know you can fight this!" He heard Aisha grunt in pain and twisted his head to see her punch the beast in one of its faces.

"Forgive me," whispered Billy before he reared back, smacking Kimberly hard across the face.

Adam's eyes widened in shock, and he nearly flew off of a bucking Tommy from the distraction. "Did you just _slap_ her?" he asked incredulously. Billy nodded, smiling widely as his friend seemed to be regaining focus.

"Yes, and I suggest you try the same with Tommy.

Adam hesitated.

"Dammit, Adam! DO IT! I need to help Aisha!" yelled Rocky frantically, holding down the flailing boy's legs. Adam summoned all his strength, landing a vicious strike against the white ranger's face. Tommy's eyes snapped open in shock from the pain, and he groaned.

Seeing Tommy out of his haze, Rocky scrambled to Aisha. She had the upper hand now, sitting astride the monster as she raised her butterfly knife to kill it. She pierced its chest, and the creature gave an earsplitting howl, its agony apparent.

Suddenly, another one of the creatures burst from the shadows, slamming Aisha into the wall. She braced her hands against its mouths, using her strength to keep it from snapping her head off.

Rocky rushed the beast with katana in hand, slicing it in half. The creature screamed before falling to the ground, and Aisha sagged limply against the cave wall. Rocky rushed to her, throwing his katana down and pulling her to him in a fierce hug.

Aisha sighed, still shaky from the attack as Rocky rubbed her back. "You okay?" he asked, pulling back.

She smiled softly. "Yeah, I –" Her eyes widened as she looked over Rocky's shoulder. He turned quickly, now staring at eight of the beasts that were moving slowly towards them.

Over on the other side of the cave, Billy was helping Kimberly stand while Adam healed Tommy's jaw, afraid he may have broken it.

"You okay?" asked Adam.

Tommy blinked rapidly, trying to regain his bearings. "Yeah, I think so."

Kimberly raised a hand to her cheek, flinching at the sting. Billy winced. "I apologize, Kimberly. It was the only way I could think to help." She nodded her understanding, though her face hurt like hell.

"Guys, we could really use your help right now!" shouted Rocky, he and Aisha backing away from the creatures. Their mouths were filled with several rows of sharp teeth, their saliva dripping onto the ground.

The four teens moved quickly to help their friends, but not before Tommy fell quickly to his knees, body convulsing painfully.

Billy rushed to him. "Tommy, what –" Kimberly then let out a painful scream, her body on the ground writhing in agony.

The two caught the attention of the beasts, which now saw the white and pink rangers as easier prey. The leader of the pack snarled loudly before bunching up, preparing to pounce on the weak white ranger.

"NO!" yelled Adam, jumping up quickly to catch the creature in its side. He summoned his nun chucks, fighting desperately to keep it from his friends.

Billy, Rocky, and Aisha followed suit, forming a ring around their fallen teammates to protect them. Rocky swung his katana in a high arc, severing the heads of two in midair. Billy shoved his broadswords through one that charged directly for Kimberly, yanking them out and turning to gut another two that ran at him from behind. Aisha threw a knife between the eyes of two of them, running quickly to retrieve each from the dead bodies.

The teens stood, breathing heavily from the exertion. Behind them, Tommy and Kimberly continued to cry out in pain. Tommy's face was beginning to turn blue, as he was unable to breathe. Quickly, Billy moved to him, slamming his fist hard in the ill teen's stomach. Tommy let out a strangled gasp, the color returning to his face as oxygen entered his burning lungs.

Adam moved to Kimberly, disturbed by how hot her skin was. The girl was shivering violently, and he barely lifted her in time to empty her stomach onto the cave floor. Aisha ran a hand through her braids, overwhelmed by the situation.

"Billy, what's the prognosis?" asked Rocky.

The blue ranger shook his head. "I- I don't know. They appear to have fallen ill." He checked Tommy's eyes, and then Kimberly's, seeing the blue light fade in and out of their pupils. "I believe they are fighting the shard."

Rocky groaned, hating the timing. He turned quickly at the sound of heavy breathing; at least twenty of those creatures lined the mouth of the cave.

"Fuck," he swore softly. Tightening the katana in his hands, he cracked his neck."Guys, we got more company."

The tired teens looked at the beasts, each summoning the strength for the upcoming battle.

Just as the first beast jumped at them, it was stopped in midair, a long spear sticking through its head. Adam blinked hard as he saw a hooded figure holding the base of the spear.

"Tommy was right," he breathed.

The cloaked figure threw the beast off of the spear, slamming it into several others. The rangers looked at each other, unsure of how to proceed.

Rocky narrowed his eyes. "As of now, he appears to be on our side. I say work with him, at least until these creatures are gone. We need to protect Tommy and Kim." The other four agreed, charging the beasts alongside their new 'friend'.

By the end of the fight, the teens had received more than a handful of scrapes and bruises. The smell of death was everywhere, nearly overpowering to their stomachs.

The cloaked figure stood off to the side, wiping down his spear with steady strokes. Rocky and Billy looked at each other, and Rocky nodded, heading over to the being.

"Uh… hey. Thanks for your help just now. I doubt we would have made it if you hadn't been there."

The figure simply kept cleaning its spear. Rocky looked back at Billy, shrugging in confusion.

Turning back, Rocky cleared his throat. "What were those things anyway?"

"Gnarlyths," said the figure quietly. "More are coming."

Rocky's eyes widened. "Wait… now?" He looked around, seeing nothing. "I don't see any."

"More are coming," it repeated, more forcefully and with a sense of urgency.

"How can you tell? Who are you?" asked Rocky. The cloaked figure shook its head, walking past him further into the cave. It suddenly disappeared, leaving no trace of ever being there.

Billy's eyes narrowed, noticing the cackle of energy that surrounded the figure as he disappeared. He grabbed a rock off the ground, throwing it in the direction the figure went.

The rock disappeared.

"There appears there's some kind of power vortex there." He noticed their blank expressions and elaborated, "A hidden dimension."

Adam and Aisha looked at each other before looking down at Tommy and Kim, who were still suffering from the shard.

Rocky ran a hand over his face. "Okay, look. We have two choices. We can either follow 'Dark and Mysterious' through his little vortex to God knows where… or we can stay here and fight more Gnarlyths."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "Gnarlyths?"

Rocky pointed at the numerous dead bodies surrounding them with his katana.

"I see," said the blue ranger.

Adam looked down at Tommy worriedly, watching the color draining from his face. "I don't think we have much of a choice. We only managed to fight them off last time because of that hooded guy. Now we're on our own."

Aisha nodded, running a hand up and down Kim's arm. "And they seem to multiply after each fight," she said worriedly.

"How are we sure they are coming?" asked Billy.

Rocky shrugged. "We're not. I'm only going by what he said… and I think he meant it. If how quickly he bolted was any indication…"

"It could be a trap. A way to force us to follow him by implying there was impending danger," said Billy thoughtfully, before looking out at the mouth of the cave, seeing yellow eyes looking back at him. There had to be at least sixty.

Rocky looked over, seeing the Gnarlyths as well. "That's good enough for me. We're following him."

Aisha pulled Kimberly up, resting the pink ranger's weight on her. Billy helped Adam pull Tommy up, each holding him up with his arm wrapped around the back of their necks.

Rocky quickly ran around the cave, grabbing as many supplies as he could carry. The Gnarlyths began to move closer, growling as they saw the rangers move.

"I'll go first," said Rocky, taking a deep breath before rushing through the vortex. After a few seconds, his hand peeked back through, indicating they should follow.

Aisha stepped through next, pulling a slightly delirious Kimberly along with her. Adam and Billy tugged Tommy through next, cautious not to jostle him.

When the rangers stepped on the other side, they were inside of another cave, a fire roaring before them. Billy removed Tommy's arm from around him, reaching back to find the vortex.

It had closed.

Billy shot a panicked look at Rocky, but the red ranger was not focused on that. He was looking straight ahead.

On the other side of the fire stood the cloaked figure, unmoving.

"I've been waiting for you."


	12. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: **Here's the next part. Please read and review. :)_

* * *

The teens looked at the figure, weary of its presence. The figure moved towards them, pale hands sticking out as it lifted the hood of its cloak away from its face. Standing before them was now a very pale, bald man who appeared to be in his late forties. His eyes indicated that he was blind.

"Who are you?" asked Rocky.

The man gave a small smile. "My name by birth is Orthanin Valjor, but throughout the universe, I am known simply as Ninjor." His voice was strange to their ears, both soft and strong at the same time.

The teens looked at each other. "How can we be sure you are telling us the truth?" asked Billy.

The man gave a soft chuckle, reaching into his cloak slowly. "I am not going to hurt you, rangers," he assured them.

They looked at each other nervously.

Ninjor shook his head. "I created the Ninjetti. I would recognize Ninjetti warriors anywhere. How is Zordon?" he asked.

Rocky looked at him in amazement. "He's, uh… he's fine. He sent us here –"

"To retrieve this, I believe?" He held in his hand a small pendant that was hanging around his neck. It looked like a small pyramid. Ninjor muttered a few words softly before the pyramid expanded, becoming the size of a fist. He ran his finger along the base of the pyramid, revealing a blue crystal. It had the same glow as the Imanyd shards, but was much larger.

The rangers looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

"Sit," he said.

The teens slowly moved to take a seat. Aisha kept Kimberly's head resting on her shoulder as the girl shivered, while Adam supported Tommy's weight as they took a seat.

Ninjor's eyes focused on Tommy's pale face before sliding to Kimberly's shivering form, his expression becoming melancholy.

"Your friends have been touched by the Imanyd," he said in his soft voice, surveying the group. "All of you have wielded some of its power, but they have touched it directly."

Aisha laid Kimberly's head onto her lap, the pink ranger shivering violently at her friend's hand on her skin.

Ninjor gave a sad smile. "Their life energy is fading."

Billy stared at Ninjor for some time. "How can you tell?"

"I do not see the way you see, young wolf." Ninjor caressed the shard in his hand. "My eyes are sensitive to energy patterns." He pointed around him. "Every living creature is filled with energy – the energy of life."

He grabbed the shard around his neck. "The energy from the Imanyd shards is of a different type. It is difficult to explain as your eyes are limited to only what is right in front of you." Ninjor shook his head. "Each of you have both the energy of life and the energy of the Imanyd shard inside of you. Four of you possess some Imanyd energy, as your exposure to it comes primarily through your power coins and the Ninjetti."

He focused on the two ailing teens. "These two – the crane and the falcon – their energy from the Imanyd is disturbingly high, indicative of direct exposure to the Imanyd. As a result, their life energy is depleting rapidly."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "So this is natural?"

Ninjor nodded. "Everything in the universe is balanced, wolf. That is the order of nature. A body can only hold so much power; as the Imanyd power increases, their life energy must decrease in order to maintain balance."

Tommy let out a painful groan, convulsing in agony. Billy looked sorrowfully at his best friend before turning to Ninjor. "If the Imanyd energy replaces the life energy in the body, why are they reacting this way?"

He stared at Kimberly and Tommy. "They are not allowing the energy in their bodies to become dominant."

"What the hell does that mean?" asked Rocky. Adam threw his friend a terse look.

Ninjor sighed, moving over to run a pale hand across Kimberly's face. The girl gave a whimpered moan, tears running down her face. "Young frog, the ape is merely concerned for his friends' welfare. He does not mean to be as disrespectful as he comes across." Rocky had the grace to blush.

"As the Imanyd energy increases, their life energy is being drained to keep order. From their reactions, it appears they are fighting the power." Ninjor shook his head sadly. "The Imanyd is not bonding with their body, simply festering inside of them." He glanced over at Tommy. "They're going to die."

Rocky felt his stomach drop, his mouth suddenly very dry. "That's not- you can't…"

Ninjor stared at him with a blank expression. "The crane and the falcon are crying in pain…" His look became somber. "So much pain," he murmured.

Tommy began to cough violently, his skin sticky with sweat. Kimberly's skin was now becoming a yellowish color, causing Aisha to gasp in alarm.

Adam sat between Tommy and Kimberly, becoming increasingly anxious as their pain became more palpable. He flexed his fingers continuously, unsure of how much longer he could stand their suffering. Ninjor noticed Adam's reaction, turning his gaze first to Tommy and then Kimberly. He laid a hand at the base of each incoherent teen's throat, muttering a few words before the two went completely slack.

Adam blinked rapidly when he realized that the noise had stopped. He looked up at Ninjor, whose eyes were now closed.

"Do not be alarmed. I removed them from the realm of consciousness. They will not suffer."

Adam grimaced; although he could no longer hear them in pain, he knew their suffering would continue once they woke up. "Can't you help them?" Ninjor stayed silent.

He spoke softly, opening his eyes. "I cannot."

Adam felt his eyes sting, and Rocky sat speechless on the ground, his world crashing around him. Aisha cried silent tears as she Kimberly's head in her lap, the pink ranger in seemingly peaceful sleep.

"You," continued the blind man after a long period of silence, "are the ones that must help them."

Billy focused on the pale being's words, forcing himself to ignore the pain he felt at potentially losing two of his closest friends.

"Unlike before, friends stand where there were once none." Ninjor climbed to his feet, towering over them.

"Before?" asked Rocky, tearing his eyes from Tommy's prone form. "What do you mean before?"

Billy cut his eyes. "He means this isn't the first time this has happened."

Ninjor simply nodded. "This has happened once before… centuries ago…" he trailed off.

Billy stared at Ninjor for some time before his eyes widened. "Ivan Ooze."

Ninjor gave him a curious glance. "Yes, though how you are aware of that is beyond me. The universe knew him as Ivan Ooze. I knew him simply as Navi."

Rocky scrunched up his face. "Ivan Ooze? The guy we got the first shard from in the Arctic?"

Ninjor's eyes widened in surprise. "He made it all the way to Earth?"

Rocky shrugged. "Yeah, but that's beside the point. How do you know Ivan Ooze? Zordon said he was an evil tyrant; why would you know him?"

Aisha rolled her eyes. "Rocky, if Ivan Ooze was a tyrant, it would make sense that Ninjor knew him through his reputation."

Ninjor smiled. "You are both correct. I did know him as a tyrant, but more importantly, I knew personally."

Adam could feel his eyes bugging. "You were friends with one of the most ruthless tyrants of the known universe?"

Ninjor sat back down in front of them, Aisha now eyeing him warily.

"I was born Orthanin Valjor, some millennia ago. On my home planet, I was royalty, similar to a prince. My father was the equivalent of an emperor on your planet… I was his second youngest son.

"Our planet was vast, the temple we lived in lavish. I did not particularly enjoy the customs of my planet. We were long benefactors to the slave trade that plagued our galaxy. Our planet was prison to thousands of slaves of various species. I was never a supporter of slavery, making me unlike the rest of my family.

"Around the time I was of age, my father assigned me a personal assistant. The tradition in our family was that no one of royalty was to do for himself after becoming of age. Each person had a personal assistant, and mine was a young Pelagian boy. His name was Navi of the Ezoo Clan."

Ninjor paused. "Navi was initially very weary of me, and I cannot blame him. Most of his people by this time had been exterminated. The Pelagian race was nearly extinct, save for the few hundred that remained. I felt sorry for Navi – guilty, to be more precise – knowing how my planet and many like it were responsible for him being an orphan.

"I was not particularly nice to him… indifferent, really, but I guess in the face of brutality, indifference can be misconstrued for kindness." Ninjor wore a wistful smile. "I took it upon myself to teach Navi how to read, to carry out simple math. I did not teach him everything, as regardless of how I felt, he was still a slave and had to remain one in some ways. It was out of order to educate him in the first place."

Aisha watched him. "Why did you teach him?"

Ninjor looked at her. "I saw something inside of him." He looked down at his hands. "My vision was always this way; I've only been able to see through energy since I was born. When I looked at Navi…" His gaze was far away. "The other slaves, their energy didn't burn nearly as bright. But Navi's… day after day, it only seemed to burn brighter." He smiled. "I admired that about him, and I wanted to help him."

His expression became somber. "Navi was with my family for a long time, for I believe nearly two hundred of your Earth years. He had become incredibly smart, and it was increasingly difficult to hide. There came a time when I realized that he no longer had a place with me, that he needed to leave my planet and his life of servitude." He sighed heavily. "I smuggled him onto one of my father's vessels to his colonies. I falsified documentation for him, and I used my royal seal to make it official. He couldn't go around the universe as Navi of the Ezoo Clan – it was well known who my personal assistant was. He decided it would be best to mirror his name, reversing the letters so as to keep his true name intact. He became Ivan Ooze."

Adam looked at Ninjor in wonder. "So you two were friends… and you helped him escape?"

Ninjor made a face. "Friend is a… _strong_ word. I do not believe 'friends' is what we were; we held a mutual understanding and respect for one another. But I suppose maybe by the time of his death, Navi had considered me something close to that.

"He left my planet as Ivan, hoping to start a life for himself on one of the colonies. He worked as a miner for one of my family's colonies. Although the work was difficult, it paid well. Freed Pelagians were the lowest on the ladder, but he needed the money.

"Back on my planet, the news that Navi had escaped had circulated throughout the kingdom. They did a manhunt for him, eventually telling me he was killed for treason out in the jungle. They did not know that the messages I received periodically were, in fact, from Navi.

Ninjor's voice lowered. "In one of his letters, Navi told me of a small crystal he found in one of the mines. He said the crystal glowed blue and when he held it, and he felt such a surge of power flowing through him. He told me of these visions he would have, how they scared him from their intensity… and how he so desperately wanted to give in."

Billy nodded. "And he did eventually give in?"

"Yes," said Ninjor. "In his visions, he was promised retribution on those who had wronged him and his people. He would finally be able to act on desires he held since childhood… It was understandable that he gave in.

"The day he gave in was the last day I received a letter from Navi," he said softly. "Some time had passed, and I was quite sure I would never hear from him again. It was not until rumors of a slave pirate spread through the galaxy did I know he was still alive.

"Slave pirate? He was a slave pirate?" asked Rocky.

Ninjor smiled widely, his first true smile since meeting them. "Oh yes. There was someone going to the slave colonies by the name of Ivan Ooze. He had commandeered one of the spaceships of a neighboring planet and was using it to free slaves. His method was simple: land the ship, free the slaves, and escape quietly.

"I thought he killed," said Adam. Ninjor shook his head.

"Not initially. Navi always valued life, given how mercilessly he had seen his people and many others were slaughtered. And he had no need to kill – the shard had given him the ability to fight without murder. It was reported that he hypnotized the slave traders, tricking them into releasing the slaves on their own.

"It was not until several centuries had passed that Navi first killed. A report came to my father that a small slave colony was destroyed after the slaves were freed. I did not believe it at first. I knew Navi; he wouldn't murder." Ninjor paused. "But over time, more and more reports came flooding our home. He was far stronger than before, and his hatred for slavery only seemed to have grown stronger."

Ninjor was silent, reflecting on his memories of the past. Billy stared at him, Alpha's message running rampant through his mind.

"Ninjor," he startled the being out of his reverie, "how did he die? When we reached the Arctic Circle, his grave site was nothing more than a tub of… goo," said Billy for lack of a better word. "The way you describe him, however, would indicate that Navi was quite powerful, too powerful to be killed by anyone."

Ninjor's face remained blank. "That is because he was not killed by a being."

_Orthanin Valjor stepped off the spaceship, blinking against the wave of smoke that flew at him. He had received reports from his father that their planet had finally been under attack by the pirate Ivan Ooze. Orthanin had been off on Phaedos, serving as the Phaedosian ambassador of his planet._

_He expected to see destruction when he returned, having heard what happened to the surrounding planets. Given that this planet was where Navi had lived as a slave, Orthanin was not at all surprised to see he attacked it so savagely._

_Coughing, Orthanin made his way through the smoke, carefully avoiding the small fires that littered the ground. As he approached the back door of his temple, his stomach dropped upon seeing the blood smeared on the handle._

_He opened the door, nearly falling to his knees at the sight. There was not a single living thing in the room. His brother lay at his feet, a huge scorch mark on his chest. Orthanin looked around, noticing more of his family dead on the ground. He walked as if in a trance, eyes tearing from the sting of smoke and at the fall of the Temple of Valjor._

_Room after room, he found dead bodies; most surprising to him was that some of the dead were not royalty. There were several dead cooks, assistants, cleaners, and servants. His family he could understand…but the slaves? Navi was supposed to save them. _

_This was nothing more than a slaughter._

_Angrily, Orthanin ran out into the main room of the temple, screaming Navi's name. He wanted the Pelagian to show himself, to face him and explain what he had done._

"_I am here," he heard from behind him. Orthanin turned quickly, seeing the back of a tall creature with a dark cape. From the purple skin, Orthanin knew they were Pelagian. _

"_You should not have come, Orthanin."_

_Orthanin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you realize how much destruction you have caused?" he hissed. "Your fight against my family, although painful, is understandable. Their role in the slave trade is detestable; but you killed children, Navi! You killed innocents! And you killed slaves!" _

_Navi turned around slowly, cradled in his arms was a small child – dead. _

"_I know."_

_Orthanin looked on in horror, not expecting the sight of the toddler. _

"_If you leave the temple, you will see more of the same. There is no life on this planet, Orthanin, save for you and me."_

_Orthanin was surprised at the deep remorse he heard in Navi's voice and he cautiously took a step forward._

"_Navi… what happened? You told me once before that you never wished for people to hurt as you did; you never wanted to become a murderer." He spun around slowly, surveying the room. "But what do you call this?"_

_Calmly, Navi set the small child down softly. "I have not been myself lately, Orthanin." He paused. "Before I found the crystal… I knew what I was doing. It was all very clear. But now…" he rubbed his sternum. "I feel lost."_

_Orthanin gave him a look. "What do you mean?"_

_Navi looked at him with a pained expression. "I did not want to become this monster, and I no longer wish to be him."_

"_So stop this madness. End it here."_

_Navi smiled sadly. "If I were under my own control, I would command it so. But I am not. The crystal- it controls me, Orthanin." He licked his lips. "It makes me do things, horrible things. I merely think it… and it happens._

"_I never meant for anyone to get hurt, Orthanin. My initial plan was to free the slaves, and I did that. But I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if there were no slave colonies, how much better the universe would be if they were destroyed…"_

"_And so you destroyed them," finished Orthanin. Navi nodded._

"_Yes. The crystal... it speaks to me. It shows me what I can do, what I can achieve if I give in…"_

"_So fight it, Navi," pleaded Orthanin._

_Navi sighed shakily. "It is not that simple. I fear the crystal has been with me too long to fight it. I have tried countless times to fight against it. When I try, an intolerable pain hits me, as if punishment for defying its power._

"_I am weaker when I fight against it. I become physically ill, and in my position, such vulnerability is liable to get me killed. So I no longer fight."_

_Orthanin threw his hands up in frustration. "And you find this a better alternative?"_

_Navi winced at the sharpness of his tone. "I did… until today." He glanced over at the small child. "When I came here, my intention was to stop your family, keep them from continuing the trade, from financing it. I came at a time when I knew 'Ninjor' would be away on business. I did not want you in the crossfire, and I spared your life as payment for giving me my freedom."_

_Ninjor was his given name as ambassador; the last three letters of his first and last names as was tradition on his planet._

_Orthanin said nothing. "Upon landing, the memories of my imprisonment here hit me, and I became angry. The crystal- it feeds off of my anger, my hatred." His voice began to rise. "I was angry at your family for turning me into a slave, I was angry at my people and the others slaves for allowing themselves to be taken captive. And I was angry at myself for being so weak as a child."_

_His voice died down to a whisper. "I hadn't realized what I had done until it was over, and now I feel nothing but sorrow."_

_Looking at Navi, Orthanin saw some of the young boy that he remembered from years ago._

"_You must get rid of it."_

_Navi looked at him determinedly. "I know, and I will." He walked past Orthanin._

"_Where are you going?" _

"_I do not know yet," admitted Navi. "The crystal must be destroyed. I fear what will happen if it falls into another's hands." He paused midstride, as if frozen._

_Orthanin looked at him strangely. "Navi? What is-"_

_Navi fell to the ground hard, eyes glowing blue as he began to scream loudly in the temple. Orthanin jumped back, fear in his eyes as he saw the incredible energy spike in the Pelagian's body. It appeared to be radiating from his chest._

"_Oh no… it's inside you," breathed Orthanin heavily as he realized Navi had embedded the crystal into his chest._

_Navi clutched his head in his hands, convulsing painfully as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Sh-sh-ship!" he stuttered._

_Orthanin acted quickly, grabbing Navi and running with him to the back of the temple. It took him quite some time, as the Pelagian's seizures made it a struggle to pull him._

_Once on the ship, Orthanin ran to the control panels, and Navi doubled over, coughing blood violently. He grit his teeth harshly._

"_C-c-contain me!" he wheezed. "I don't- can't kill anymore…"_

_Orthanin ran off the ship, frantically looking for anything that could restrain Navi. Running into the temple, Orthanin headed downstairs to the dungeons. If there would be anything to contain a powerful being, it had to be down there._

_Quickly, he grabbed a chamber mechanism, running as fast as he could back to Navi's ship. He saw the being lying on the ground, the bluish glow looking odd beneath his purple skin. Orthanin opened the chamber, resizing it to hold Navi. He picked up his ailing friend, aware of how profusely he was sweating and how hot his skin was. _

_Putting him inside, Orthanin quickly set about fixing its controls. _

"_Hurry," mumbled Navi painfully. "I can't- I can't fight… longer…" _

_Orthanin had only a limited familiarity with the chambers used in his kingdom. He knew they were used as a means to punish the disobedient slaves or to contain those who his father felt were too powerful._

_Pressing buttons rapidly, Orthanin found a setting he believed would be sufficient. Hyperlock. It was the highest setting possible, and hopefully, it would be enough._

_He pressed the close button quickly, and the hyperlock chamber snapped closed. Inside the chamber, a bright blue glow appeared, and Navi began to beat violently against it. Orthanin jumped back at the ferocity of the blows. He could hear Navi screaming inside, a mixture of anger and intense agony. _

_Orthanin ran to the controls, setting the ship's course for the nearest sun. The sun in his galaxy was extremely far, the planet being on the very edge of the galaxy. He checked the nearest galaxy, the Milky Way, seeing that this sun was not only closer, but far bigger and seemingly hotter. _

_Orthanin set a direct course, intent on the ship and Navi running directly into it. He ignored the screams from Navi, choosing not to focus on the suffering taking place behind him. As the computer began to go into autopilot, Orthanin noticed a small book on the side of the control panel; it looked like a journal. Grabbing it quickly, Orthanin left the ship, relieved to hear Navi's screams end as the door closed._

_He stood on the ground amidst the ruins of his home, watching as Navi's ship took off._

"If what you say is true, then what I feared did in fact happen." Ninjor sighed. "When Navi was fighting the crystal, his body was having a very strong reaction, much like your friends." He paused. "I believe… the tub of 'goo' you found on Earth _was_ Navi." The rangers looked at him in shock.

He looked at Tommy and Kimberly sorrowfully. "In his journal, Navi wrote of the many times he tried to fight the crystal, each time feeling sicker than before. He would have seizures, asphyxiate, become feverish and delusional…"

The teens looked at each other, recognizing those symptoms in their friends.

"His life energy had been completely replaced by the Imanyd energy by the time he came back to my planet," said Ninjor. "It was all I could see inside him."

Billy's eyes widened in understanding. "By fighting the Imanyd, he was fighting the only energy that was keeping him alive."

"Precisely." Ninjor shook his head. "All energies can increase or decrease within the body while maintaining balance, but once _life_ energy is depleted, it is gone forever. The body needs energy to live, something to feed off of. Any energy will do, including the energy of the Imanyd. Rejecting that energy, however, can lead to disastrous results when there is little to no life energy available to sustain life."

Aisha ran a hand across Kim's forehead. The pink ranger was beginning to stir.

"The same thing is happening with them," Adam said softly. Tommy began to moan as he slowly regained consciousness.

"Yes," said Ninjor. "They are fighting the Imanyd as Navi did, and I fear the end will be the same."

Rocky grit his teeth painfully, his eyes hardened. "Their bodies are breaking down?"

Ninjor sighed. "They have a bit of life energy left, so they still have time… but, yes. The longer they fight the Imanyd, the worse they will become."

"But if they give into it, the worse it will be to fight its control," stated Aisha.

"Yes," Ninjor confirmed.

Silence fell over them, save for the few pained whimpers coming from Tommy and Kimberly.

"You said-" Billy cleared his throat. "You said that we can help them."

"I believe you can," said Ninjor. He grabbed the shard from around his neck. "This is the Shard of Balance; it will enhance your Ninjetti powers." He put out his hand. "I need your power coins."

The four teens grabbed their coins quickly, and Adam grabbed the coins from Tommy and Kim. Placing the coins before him, Ninjor muttered a few words before six streams of light shot from the shard into the coins. The coins shook violently, absorbing the energy as it flowed into them.

The four coherent teens watched in amazement as the image of their six animal spirits flew from their coins, swirling around each respective ranger. The spirits quickly descended back to the coins, and a flash of white light appeared as the energy transfer stopped.

"Collect your coin." Each teen grabbed their coin, and Aisha and Adam put Tommy and Kim's coins in their hands. The rangers felt a huge jolt of energy run through their bodies.

"Holy shit," breathed Rocky excitedly.

Ninjor smiled at the red ranger. "The full power of the Ninjetti is quite impressive, but you have much to learn of the Way of the Ninjetti." He turned his attention to Tommy and Kimberly, placing the shard on the ground.

"All of you are now bonded with the Shard of Balance." He could feel their anxiety rolling off of them in waves. "Do not be alarmed. The Shard of Balance is not like the Shards of Light or Darkness. Bonding with it does not have the same effect."

Ninjor continued, "The Shard of Balance gives you control. You now have full control of the power of the Ninjetti, and you also have to ability to control any Imanyd energy linked to you."

The rangers pondered this. "We can control it?" asked Rocky.

"Yes, but only within yourselves. You each have the Imanyd inside of you, and as a result, you can control how much you use at a given time."

Aisha smiled. "So it can't control us?"

"Correct."

Adam frowned. "But how does that help Tommy and Kimberly? I understand they can now control their energy, but they're in no condition to handle that."

Billy shook his head. "No, they aren't… but we are."

Ninjor smiled.

"You said we can control the Imanyd energy that is linked to us? Aren't we all linked to each other through the Ninjetti?" asked the blue-eyed teen.

"Very good, young wolf," said Ninjor appraisingly. "You are linked through the Ninjetti…"

"-which means we can control the energy in Tommy and Kim!" yelled Rocky happily. It was the first bit of good news the teens had received in a while.

"Yes. Although I believe you need all of the Imanyd Shards to rid them of this problem, your friends can be helped in the interim by controlling the surges that ail them."

Ninjor closed his eyes. "You need to join hands," he stated. "Your friends must be in the center for this to work properly."

Adam, Rocky, Aisha, and Billy quickly stood, holding each other's hands as they stood around the pink and white rangers.

Ninjor walked around them. "Close your eyes and focus on the power of the Ninjetti. Look deep within and you should find it. Can you hear the crane and the falcon?"

The teens stood still, listening intently. Faintly, the sound of a wounded bird hit their ears, followed by another.

"Hear their cries and go to them. Follow them to your friends."

The teens concentrated on the sounds. The cries increased in volume, until they were ringing loudly in their ears.

"Open your eyes."

One by one, the rangers opened their eyes, revealing a blue glow. Where their hands joined was a bright blue light.

"Oh shit," breathed Rocky. Ninjor shook his head, throwing Rocky a sharp glare. "Maintain your focus, young ape. This is a delicate process. You can kill them if you break your concentration." Rocky quickly refocused.

"Look at your friends," instructed Ninjor. "You should see two swirling energies inside of them, like electricity. They are two different colors."

The teens focused on Tommy and Kim, seeing two large swirls of cackling energy in their bodies.

"Yes," said Billy, "one is green and one is blue."

"Do you see how the energies are moving against each other? Creating chaos?" The teens nodded.

"That is what is plaguing your friends. The dim energy is their life energy."

Aisha felt her eyes tear up. "It's disappearing," she muttered softly.

"You need to focus on the brighter energy. That is the energy of the Imanyd." Ninjor stopped circling them. "It should feel familiar to you; focus on it. Concentrate on making it smaller.

"The energy needs to be reduced. Focus on a small object, like a sphere, and reshape the Imanyd energy into that shape. Do it slowly, rushing can have lasting repercussions."

"What about the balance?" asked Adam worriedly.

"Reducing the Imanyd energy will increase their life energy. The balance will be maintained."

Slowly, the teens focused on minimizing the Imanyd energy. As the Imanyd was reduced, the wisps of energy taken away merely changed colors, bundling with the life energy.

"How much Imanyd energy should they have?" asked Rocky, unsure of when to stop.

"Look at them and decide." The rangers looked at their friends. Kim and Tommy were no longer moaning in pain. Their skin was regaining its normal color and the convulsions had stopped.

"I think that's enough," said Billy finally, relieved to see Tommy and Kim looking back to normal.

"You must ease out of the connection, rangers. Too quick of a withdrawal can be deadly."

The four slowly pulled back their power, eyes finally reverting back to their normal colors. Aisha rushed to her friends, placing a hand on each one's forehead. She smiled.

"Their fevers are gone," she said happily. The others crowded around her, checking their friends out.

Ninjor stood over them, watching the pink and white rangers stir awake. They blinked confusedly.

"What the hell?" asked Tommy groggily.

Rocky laughed, happy to see Tommy awake. "You're okay!" Tommy looked at him strangely before Rocky pulled him into a hug.

"Yeah, what the hell happened?" asked Tommy, pulling back from Rocky.

Next to him, Kimberly was in a tight hug with Aisha. Kim wrapped her arms around the yellow ranger. Aisha pulled back, moving as Adam rushed Kimberly, pulling her into a crushing hug. Kimberly ran a hand up and down his back. He pulled back, his eyes watery.

"We almost- we didn't…" He couldn't finish. Kimberly looked around.

"How did we get here? The last I remember is being in a lot of pain."

Billy had pulled Tommy into a manly hug, happy to see his best friend healthy. "You two were in a tremendous amount of pain from the shard. We were able to help you with Ninjor's help."

Tommy and Kim looked at each other before turning to look at the man named Ninjor.

"Thank you," said Kimberly gratefully. Tommy nodded his thanks.

"It was your friends that brought you back. I simply guided them."

Tommy looked around; the cave was different than where they were before and very dark, the only light coming from the small fire before them… and the shard on the ground.

Kimberly raised an eyebrow. "Is that a…?"

Billy smiled. "We have much to relay to you."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Tommy and Kimberly sat before their friends, holding their newly charged power coins in their hands.

"So you knew what was happening to us because of Ivan Ooze… I mean, Navi?" asked Kimberly. Tommy was holding her hand, his fingers twined with hers.

"Yes," said Ninjor. Tommy sat quietly, and Billy could tell from his posture he was upset.

"Billy, when you researched Ivan Ooze, how was it recorded he died?" asked Tommy softly.

"Old age, apparently. He left his empire once the slave trade was effectively terminated. He lived in the Arctic Circle until he died. At least, that is how it is recorded in the records."

"Eltarian records?" asked Tommy, an edge to his voice. Rocky's ears perked up at this.

"Yes," said Billy, thinking the same thing as his best friend.

Tommy swore softly, and Kimberly squeezed his hand gently. "He lied to us. He knew this whole time, and he didn't say anything," said Tommy angrily.

Rocky turned to Tommy. "Zordon wouldn't lie to us."

Billy spoke up. "I have to side with Tommy on this one, Rocky. Although I would like to believe otherwise, Zordon would surely lie to us if he felt it was necessary. He's already shown he will withhold information in the past."

Rocky's mood deflated, recalling how Zordon had kept information from them before.

"But he sent us to Eltar to Ninjor… he knew we'd find out eventually," argued Adam.

"Zordon sent us to Eltar to unlock the full capabilities of the Ninjetti. Alpha's the one that told about Ivan Ooze."

Aisha raised an eyebrow. "Alpha?"

Billy ran a hand along his cheek. "Alpha gave me a coded message. It indicated that upon seeing Ninjor, we needed to find out how Ivan Ooze died. I believe it was coded to keep Zordon from knowing."

Everyone was silent at this.

Ninjor spoke up softly. "I understand your anger and confusion at Zordon, rangers. But I believe he did not act on malicious intentions. Zordon is driven by something you cannot understand, and he will see to it that his mission is completed. Do not condemn him for that."

Tommy glared at the blind man. "Kimberly and I could have died!"

"But you didn't," said Ninjor icily. "You're alive and well and stronger than before. You must understand this war is bigger than you."

Adam stared at Ninjor incredulously. "Apparently it isn't given that _we're_ the ones out there fighting while he's suspended in his tube." The rangers turned in surprise at the acidic tone in Adam's words.

Ninjor's glare softened. "I forget you are but children in this war." He sighed. "You have been fighting for the side of Good for a relatively small period of time. Zordon has been fighting for centuries, like me. You must understand what seeing centuries of destruction and death can do to a person, especially if you knew you or your people were indirectly responsible."

Tommy said nothing, not willing to forgive Zordon just yet.

"So what is this training we have to do?"


	13. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: **Decided to be nice and post this. Probably the shortest chapter out of any of them that have or will post for this fic. Please read and review. Feedback is greatly appreciated. :)_

* * *

**Eltar**

**Ninjetti Temple**

**4 days later (Earth time)**

**12 days later (Eltarian time)**

**Local time, unknown**

"Again."

Aisha closed her eyes, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Pressing her hands together, she concentrated on her animal spirit, chanting the ancient language Ninjor had taught them.

Counting down from three, Aisha opened her eyes, now glowing blue. She reached for the huge boulder before her, lifting it with ease. With a grunt, the petite teen threw the large rock as far as she could, watching it soar hundreds of feet before landing with a thud.

"Excellent," said Ninjor.

The teens were at the Ninjetti temple, outside in the training field. When they had passed through the vortex, they had been in the cave at the mouth of the temple, and Ninjor led them inside after a night's rest. Since then, the six teens had been training virtually nonstop with Ninjor, learning about all they were capable of doing as well as enhancing their fighting skills by teaching them the Art of the Ninjetti. They were now in their twelfth day of training.

Adam Park lay on the ground shirtless, a futile attempt to alleviate the heat. He was watching Rocky in the air. The red ranger swung happily from tree to tree, flipping as he jumped. He thoroughly enjoyed his new powers, able to climb trees rapidly. Rocky released a vine, falling to the ground quickly before landing with a huge thud, creating a cavern.

Adam grunted, leaves and dirt flying onto him. Rocky gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

Adam rolled his eyes, though he could not blame his friend for his excitement. He behaved similarly after finding out his new jumping powers. For hours, all the black ranger did was bounce as high and far as he could. It took a few tries to get the aim right; slamming face first into a tree was not a particularly fun experience.

A blue-eyed wolf appeared to Adam's right, shaking off water that accumulated from its swim. Rocky and Adam yelped, not expecting the icy shower.

"Cut it out, man. That's really cold!" complained Rocky.

The wolf smiled before standing on its hind legs and stretching out, coming to stand up straight. Its fur disappeared and its snout shrank, revealing the grin of a wet Billy Cranston.

"Sorry," he laughed. "I wasn't aware the water would fly so far."

Not far from them were Tommy and Kimberly, both hovering in the air on clouds of blue energy. They sat Indian style, eyes closed as they meditated, focusing on controlling the Imanyd energy inside of them. Having bird animal spirits, Tommy and Kim would be able to fly… eventually. Ninjor warned the two that they needed much more practice before they would be able to fly in full control; however, they were able to levitate for long periods of time.

Ninjor walked into the middle of the area, raising a hand in the air. The six teens all looked towards him, moving to stand before him.

"Line up," he stated. The teens formed a straight line, unsure of what was happening.

"Morph," he said simply. One by one, the teens changed shaped, until before Ninjor were six animals: a bear, an ape, a frog, a wolf, a crane, and a falcon.

He nodded. "Human form." The teens changed back.

"Invisibility."

Each ranger closed their eyes, disappearing from his view.

"Return." They rematerialized.

"Decoy." The teens did a back handspring, leaving a decoy where they once stood.

Ninjor waved away the decoys.

"Primary weapons." The main weapon of each ranger appeared in their hands.

"Energize." The teens closed their eyes, focusing on igniting the weapons with their Imanyd energy. Ninjor smiled at the blue flames that enveloped each weapon.

"Secondary weapons."

The teens called upon their new weapons. In Tommy's hand, a war-scythe; Billy's, an axe; Aisha's, a mace; Rocky's, a kanabō; Adam's, a saber; and Kim's, a crossbow. They had spent the last four days familiarizing themselves with their new weapons.

"Adam," the young boy looked at Ninjor. "Retrieve the fruit from that tree." He pointed at an incredibly tall tree, at least 150 feet, whose fruit hang from the very top.

Putting away his saber, Adam took a few steps back before running and leaping high into the air, latching onto the tree. He grabbed the small red fruit, before pushing off, flipping backwards to land softly at Ninjor's feet, handing him the fruit.

"Nicely done." Ninjor took the fruit, tossing it gently in his hand. "Billy," the blue ranger stepped forward, watching as Ninjor reared back, throwing the fruit far into the jungle.

"Retrieve it." Billy nodded, morphing into a wolf before taking off quickly after the fruit with a growl.

Ninjor's eyes turned to Tommy. He pointed into the distance, a white mountain in view.

"On the top of that mountain is a small flower, only found there. Bring it to me." Tommy cracked his fingers, morphing into a falcon before taking off towards the mountain.

"Aisha," he pointed at a set of huge boulders that were off to the side. "Move those boulders." The yellow ranger ran over to the rocks, eyes glowing blue as she threw each boulder out of the way. She was surprised to see an entrance where they once were.

"Rocky, Kimberly," said Ninjor, "There is a small pendant behind that waterfall. It is hidden. Bring it to me. Without morphing." The two nodded, heading off. Rocky jumped onto a tree, jumping between it and its neighbor to reach the top. Grabbing a vine, he swung over to the waterfall, releasing the vine and grabbing onto a ledge. He pulled himself up quickly, waiting for Kimberly.

Kim looked at the raging river below her, knowing it would be foolish to attempt to swim. Looking quickly, she saw a tree leaning over the water slightly. Stepping back, Kim ran at the tree full speed, running along its length before pushing off at the very top, twisting as she landed on the other side.

Noticing the smoothness of the wall, she knew she couldn't climb it. Kimberly closed her eyes, levitating herself slowly into the air. She moved cautiously behind the waterfall, grateful when Rocky reached out a hand to help pull her onto the ledge.

The two looked around, seeing the pendant shining high up behind a huge boulder blocking their path. Rocky summoned his animal spirit, shifting the boulder to the side with a gentle push.

"The pendant is high up, I think in a little pocket. Let me get on your shoulders," she stated. Rocky nodded, crouching low so Kim could climb on him, his hands securing her feet. He stood to his full height, and Kim reached her small hand into the little hole, pulling out the pendant.

Rocky released her feet and she jumped down, smiling brightly at him. He laughed, hugging her tightly. Looking back out, Rocky saw a nearby vine.

"Get on my back," he stated, and Kim jumped on him quickly, hands clutching the pendant tightly. Rocky took a few steps back before leaping, grabbing onto the vine with ease and swinging back to the other side of the river. He let go once they made it over, focusing his power on landing stealthily. Kimberly released him, rushing over to Ninjor with the pendant.

Ninjor grabbed the pendant, nodding at them in thanks just as a falcon landed on his shoulder, a white flower in its beak.

"Thank you, Tommy." The falcon bobbed its head before hopping to the ground, reforming into the white ranger. Ninjor felt a pressure on his thigh, looking down to see a wolf looking up at him, a red fruit in its teeth. He opened his hand, letting the fruit fall into it. He pet the wolf gently on its head before it walked away, turning back into Billy.

Ninjor turned away from them, walking towards the entrance Aisha had uncovered.

"Follow me." The teens looked at each other before following him into the dark area.

Up ahead, the rangers saw a gated entrance, with a baby Gnarlyth chained in front. It stood quickly, trying to run at them. Ninjor threw the red fruit at it, and the Gnarlyth was distracted by the food.

Ninjor opened the gate. "I suggest you come quickly before it realizes what I gave it was not meat." The teens rushed inside, and Ninjor closed the gate behind them. Turning, he placed the small flower in a pot, replacing the dead one that was currently there.

He pointed at the object in the center of the room, a waist-high structure that had the picture of a pyramid on it with a hole in the center. Ninjor removed the Shard of Balance from his neck, placing it inside the hole. He closed the hole with the pendant he received from Kim and Rocky, turning it clockwise until it locked in place.

"Stand in a circle, link your hands." The teens followed his orders, hands joined together.

"Close your eyes." He mumbled a few words before a white light shot out. The teens were startled when they felt themselves move, now aware that they were standing on a shifting platform. The walls around them began to fade out, and the teens found themselves in another room.

Once the platform stopped, the teens dropped their hands, looking around in amazement. The room they were in was covered in the Language of the Ninjetti, with thousands of animal spirits carved into the walls. They watched in surprise as their respective animal spirits lit up, glowing hotly.

"The battle you are about to face will be brutal, rangers, and I fear you may need more protection than you have."

Rocky looked at Ninjor confused. "But this whole quest… I thought-"

Ninjor put up a hand. "While it is true you are undoubtedly stronger than before, you will still face difficulties, which is why I am preparing to give you this." He stood before them.

"Stand in line, and close your eyes." The teens did as they were told.

Ninjor walked to the platform, removing the shard from inside. Standing before the teens, he closed his eyes, concentrating on pouring his energy out of his body.

"Open your eyes," he said softly. The teens looked around, their vision tinted as they realized they were wearing helmets. Fumbling, they reached for the locks, removing their helmets and holding them in their hands.

"Oh, wow," Adam murmured. Each of them stood in spandex suits of their respective color, an emblem of their animal spirit on their sternum.

"You are wearing your new power suits." He coughed. "Your Ninjetti robes cannot protect you as these can. These Ninjetti suits are more durable for the battle you will face in the future. They will be of great use."

He sighed heavily, stumbling before leaning heavily against a wall and a loud boom resounded in the room, the ground shaking slightly under them. The rangers rushed over to him.

"Ninjor, what's wrong?" He waved them off. "Nothing, follow me." They looked at each nervously as Ninjor walked slowly to a wall, pressing his hand against it. The room began to shake as a crack of white light appeared on the wall. The crack got wider, and the wall began to separate.

"In here are your zords," he said weakly. The ground beneath their feet began to shake violently, and the teens grabbed onto each other to maintain balance. The rangers were torn between looking at their zords and helping Ninjor.

"Zords? Like Serpentera?" asked Rocky.

Ninjor nodded. "Yes." He coughed harshly. "You will need them for battle. Use your zords to get back to Earth."

Billy looked confused. "But you must show us how to use them."

Ninjor shook his head, eyes looking up at the rapidly deteriorating ceiling. "You are Ninjetti. These are your zords. Focus on your energy and it will come to you." He doubled over painfully. "Go."

Huge pieces of debris fell now, nearly crushing Adam and Aisha.

Tommy shook his head, mindful of the cave. "Ninjor, you aren't well. What happened? Why are you –" Tommy turned at the sound of a large crack – the platform they were on before was now in several pieces.

Ninjor threw Tommy a glare. "The longer you wait here, the longer this war wages. You must leave."

"Not until we know you're okay and will be safe," said Kim worriedly. Ninjor sighed, seeing the rangers would not leave him.

"I am fine, little crane. In providing you with these new additions, I had to add use my remaining Imanyd energy to support you. I am merely weak at the moment."

Billy shook his head, watching the walls around them begin to crumble. "Ninjor, the temple is falling apart. I am afraid you will not make it out safely. You must come with us," he insisted.

Ninjor smiled weakly. "I cannot. If I leave the temple, I will begin to age rapidly and die in mere minutes. I must stay here. Trust me, rangers."

Adam looked Ninjor over, seeing his pale face. "Ninjor, what's wrong with you?"

Ninjor coughed weakly. "The temple is dependent upon the shard for power. Giving you the power is, in a sense, destroying the temple," he said raggedly. The teens looked at each other in alarm. "This is but a structure, rangers. The power is not lost – it is with you, but understand, I must stay with the temple. Please, go."

The answer seemed to satisfy the rangers, though they still remained cautious. They knew his chances of escape were slim at best, especially with his sudden fatigue.

"Leave, rangers." Ninjor gave a soft smile. "You have completed your training and unlocked the full power of the Ninjetti. You _can_ win this war, but you must leave now. I will be fine."

The rangers looked to Tommy, who was now back in the position as leader. He eyed Ninjor warily before turning. The ground beneath their feet shook hard. "We have to go." The rangers turned to Ninjor, thanking him for all that he had done with hugs and handshakes.

The mentor grabbed Billy's hand, placing the Shard of Balance in his possession before sagging against the wall. Billy stared at the pouch the shard was in before running to his zord, putting his helmet on. The blind man watched as the teens climbed inside their zords, not missing the look Tommy threw at him before he closed the door to his Falconzord.

"May the power protect you," he whispered, closing his eyes.

The teens strapped inside, focusing on their Ninjetti connection in order to pilot the zords. As Ninjor had said, it did come to them, quite naturally. Their connection allowed the teens to power the zords by thought alone.

As the zords fired up, Billy stared back at where Ninjor was, his body resting at the entrance of the room where the zords were. The inside of the temple was a cloud of dust and rubble, large stones falling down quickly to the ground.

"_Tommy."_

"_Yeah, Billy?"_ responded the white ranger.

"_Ninjor used his Imanyd energy to help us… but given how long he was using the Shard of Balance, the shard's energy should have completely replaced his life energy, similar to what happened to Ivan Ooze."_

"_That's what I was thinking,"_ Tommy said solemnly.

Billy continued looking at Ninjor, watching as his breaths grew shallower and shallower.

"_He withdrew his power too quickly. Even if he somehow managed to stay alive in the temple, he's going to…"_ Billy didn't finish. He didn't have to.

"_I know."_

Tommy commanded his zord to exit the cavern. The others quickly did the same, following him off Eltar and into space.

Ninjor had died in order for them to save the universe. He sacrificed himself… for them. For the side of Good.

They didn't need to see him take his last breath.

They didn't need another death on their conscience.

* * *

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove**

**Local time, 1:22 AM**

The rangers landed their zords in the desert behind the Command Center. It was the dead of night, and the darkness would have to serve as sufficient cover for the large machines until a hangar could be built.

The rangers climbed out of their zords, eyes alert from the time difference. Tommy ran full speed towards the command center, Kim hot on his heels.

Rocky's eyes widened. "Shit," he swore, racing after them.

The teens ran quickly to the Command Center, forgetting in their haste that teleportation was much quicker. Tommy burst into the main control room, glaring angrily at Zordon, the others right behind him.

"You knew."

Zordon merely looked at the white ranger. "YES."

Tommy felt his skin get hot. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I WAS NOT SURE IF YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR ME, FOR THE SIDE OF GOOD, GIVEN WHAT YOU WOULD BE FACING."

Billy moved forward. "You had no right to make that decision for us, Zordon."

"I MADE THE DECISION FOR THE GOOD OF THE UNIVERSE."

Now Rocky stepped up, his irritation evident.

"We're the ones out there fighting! Shouldn't we at least know what's going on? Know what we're up against?"

"I APOLOGIZE FOR MY ERROR IN JUDGMENT, RANGERS. I DID NOT KNOW IF I COULD TRUST YOU TO REMAIN AT MY SIDE."

Kimberly now stepped forward, her eyes flashing blue briefly. "You didn't know if you could _trust_ us?" she asked incredulously. She gave a mirthless laugh. "You recruited us when we were children, Zordon. You put us in situation after situation where we were forced to grow up a lot faster than any of us wanted to." Her voice dropped low. "We killed for you, for this stupid war."

She shook her head. "How dare you say you couldn't trust us… the only one proving to be untrustworthy is you!" she hissed.

Zordon was shocked by the pink ranger's caustic tone. "KIMBERLY, I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T-"

Adam growled. "No, you don't get to talk!" He walked close to Zordon. "Do you have ANY idea what we've been through? What _they've _been through?" he asked, pointing at Tommy and Kimberly. Adam raked his hands through his hair in frustration.

"We would've fought by your side, Zordon; we wouldn't have abandoned you. That's why we were your chosen," said Aisha softly. "We were just a bunch of kids that wanted to help save the world. We were going on blind faith that you were telling the truth… that you were being honest with us…"

Zordon said nothing in his defense.

"You lied to us, point blank. You saw Kimberly and I were in pain, that we were suffering… you never told us the truth about Ivan Ooze," accused Tommy.

"AND HOW WOULD YOU HAVE REACTED, TOMMY? IF I TOLD YOU THAT YES, I KNEW OF ONE OTHER CASE SIMILAR TO YOURS AND KIMBERLY'S. HOW THAT PERSON FACED SUCH EXCRUCIATING PAIN AND CAUSED SUCH DESTRUCTION THAT HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LET ANYONE ELSE BE HURT. HOW HE SUFFERED IN AGONY, LOCKED AWAY AS HIS BODY BROKE DOWN FROM A POWER HE COULDN'T CONTROL. WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN A BETTER ALTERNATIVE?"

Tommy said nothing, not wanting to give Zordon any leeway. He knew if Zordon had told him that in the beginning, things might be different. If Zordon told them what they were getting into… he was sure many of them might not be rangers at the moment. Including him.

"I ADMIT I HANDLED THIS SITUATION HORRIBLY, RANGERS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT YOU WERE JUST CHILDREN." Zordon paused. "HOW WOULD YOU TELL A CHILD THAT THEY HAD TO SAVE THE WORLD? THAT THEY HAD TO KILL IN ORDER TO ENSURE ETERNAL PEACE? AND THAT IN BATTLE, THEY MAY BECOME A VICTIM OF THAT WHICH THEY ARE TRYING TO PROTECT? OR WORSE, DIE IN THE CROSSFIRE?

"I WAS IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION, RANGERS. I HANDLED THE SITUATION AS BEST I KNEW HOW. I WISH YOU DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE SUCH WEIGHT ON YOUR YOUNG SHOULDERS OR THAT YOU HAD TO DECIDE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. BUT THAT IS THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION AS IT STANDS, AND IT CANNOT BE CHANGED."

The teens were silent, digesting Zordon's words. Alpha 5 stood off to the side quietly.

"Ninjor is dead," said Tommy softly. The other teens looked down sadly at Tommy's confirmation of what they all figured had happened.

"WHAT?" the Eltarian asked, startled.

"We needed more energy to have our power suits and zords," supplied Billy. "He used the energy that was giving him life."

"Was his life worth the cost of this war?" asked Rocky heatedly.

Zordon's face was troubled before he hardened his gaze. "NINJOR UNDERSTOOD THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS."

Adam shook his head. "You feel nothing over your friend's death? Or Dulcea? Or anyone, for that matter, who's a victim of this senseless war?"

Zordon stared hard at his black ranger.

"YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE DEPTHS OF WHAT I FEEL, ADAM. I AM IN MOURNING OVER THE LOSS OF DULCEA AND NOW NINJOR. I FEEL REGRET AND SHAME AT HAVING TAKEN THE INNOCENCE OF YOUNG CHILDREN TO FIGHT A WAR THAT I CANNOT. I FEEL IMMENSE GUILT AT KNOWING THAT THIS WAR WAS STARTED BY MY PEOPLE, A RACE KNOWN FOR THEIR LOGIC, WHO MADE AN IRREVOCABLE MISTAKE.

"BUT I CANNOT FOCUS ON THAT RIGHT NOW," he continued. "MY PRIORITY IS ENDING THIS WAR SO NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS. I UNDERSTAND YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT IN ME, YOUR MISTRUST, AND EVEN YOUR ANGER. IF THE SITUATIONS WERE REVERSED, I WOULD FEEL THE SAME. BUT AT THE MOMENT, THERE IS A BIGGER ISSUE – THE UNIVERSE IS AT STAKE AND AS RANGERS, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO END THIS WAR. THIS WAR IS BIGGER THAN ME, BIGGER THAN YOU, AND BIGGER THAN OUR ISSUES. PLEASE HELP ME."

The six teens stared up at their mentor, a myriad of emotions hitting them. Kimberly ran a hand through her hair, looking at Tommy. He looked just as conflicted as she did.

"I can't be here right now," she said softly, teleporting out of the room. The others blinked, as if just realizing that they had the freedom to leave the room.

One by one, the remaining rangers left the room. Billy was the last to leave, removing a pouch from his pocket and handing it to Alpha.

"There's your shard, Zordon. I hope this was worth it."

The sandy-haired teen stared up at Zordon before shaking his head sadly, leaving in a flash of blue.

Zordon sighed heavily.

"What now, Zordon?" asked Alpha 5.

Although the robot cared deeply for his friend, he was disappointed in him for keeping secrets from the rangers. His decision to point Billy in the right direction was his way of making up for remaining silent for so long.

"I DON'T KNOW, ALPHA. I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW."


	14. Chapter 13

**_Author's Note:_**_ Here's an update. I know it's been awhile, but I was having some technical difficulties. My laptop sorta crashed, so I haven't been able to write lately and lost the story. Good news is my story is mostly on /in my inbox, so I don't have a lot to make up for. :). This is a long chapter for waiting for so long while I get everything back together. _

_And special thanks to my beta psycochick for everything - you're the best. Please read and review everyone! Feedback is appreciated. :)_

* * *

**Malibu Lagoon Beach**

**Malibu, CA**

**2:53 AM**

Kimberly Hart sat along the beachfront, feet slightly dug into the sand. Her knees were pulled to her chest; she rested her chin on them as she looked out at the waves.

Her vision was blurry, thanks to the hot tears that now cascaded down her flushed cheeks.

Kim was sure she was feeling way more than an eighteen-year-old was supposed to feel. She was supposed to be focused on prom, graduation, college… instead, her mind was on the impending battle she and her friends would have to fight in light of the secrets Zordon kept from them.

Her eyes rolled at the thought of the mentor of the Power Rangers. She wiped her face of her tears.

On some level, Kimberly understood where Zordon was coming from. They were sophomores when he recruited them, the oldest of them being sixteen at the time. Everything they had done in the name of Good… if Zordon had told them from the beginning all that being a ranger would entail…

She sighed, wishing things were how they used to be: back to the days when her biggest worry was coming up with a new routine for the pep rally for Principal Kaplan or studying for her biology final. She missed when her only after school activities were shopping at the mall, gymnastics, and Tommy.

She gave a soft smile.

If there was anything Kimberly was grateful for these last few days, it was her boyfriend. These last few weeks had been scary for her, but knowing that Tommy was with her made everything easier to deal with. She felt guilty at being happy that Tommy was also the one that was going through the whole shard ordeal with her; she knew he was suffering, too.

Kimberly picked up a handful of sand, letting it slip slowly through her fingers.

Things were so much easier before they were rangers, and sometimes, Kimberly longed to be the girl she once was. She didn't regret her decision to fight as a ranger. Even with everything Zordon kept from them, Kimberly loved being out there in the action, fighting alongside her friends. Even with the near-death experiences and painful decisions she and the others were forced to make every day in battle, it was still addicting.

But sometimes…

Sometimes she hated Zordon for making them rangers, for forcing them to grow up far faster than they wanted.

Kim focused her gaze on the water, allowing herself to slip back to a time when life wasn't so complicated.

"_So this is a what?"_

"_Tarbosaurus bataar," said Tommy softly._

"_But it looks just like the Tyrannosaurus Rex…" said Kim, confused._

_Tommy smiled, kissing the side of her head. The two were in his basement on his leather sofa, Kimberly lying on top of him with her back to his chest. Tommy's arms were wrapped securely around her waist._

_He pointed to the head of the Tarbosaurus. "The Tarbosaurus bataar has a narrower skull and a more slender snout than the T-Rex." He turned the page to the T-Rex. "The biggest difference is in the doming of the nasal. There's still some debate on them being different species, though."_

_Tommy and Kim had just come from the movies to see _Jurassic Park_. It was his sixteenth birthday, and Kim knew how much Tommy wanted to see the movie due to his interest in dinosaurs. Action movies weren't really her thing, but she made the sacrifice for Tommy, and as it turned out, the movie was actually pretty good._

"_Hmm," said Kim thoughtfully. "I can see it now. The T-Rex has a slightly bigger head."_

_Tommy grinned. "Exactly." _

_Kim turned the page, staring intently at the picture of a pterodactyl. "I like this one," she murmured. _

_Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Really?"_

_She nodded. "Yeah… I don't know why. Maybe because it flies, unlike the others?" She shrugged, running a finger over the picture of the creature. "It's unusual, but beautiful."_

_It warmed Tommy's heart to see that his girlfriend had taken an interest in dinosaurs. Initially, he was a bit concerned, not sure if Kim would find his love for dinosaurs geeky or lame. He was pleasantly surprised when she took it upon herself to learn more about them and even encouraged him to study them in college._

_Besides Billy, Kimberly was the only person their age who knew that Tommy wanted to be a paleontologist. After __l__osing his grandfather, Tommy spent that following summer with his grandmother, going through his grandfather's old stuff. He spent most of his time reading Joe's journals and looking through the pictures he had taken while in Africa and Asia. Tommy had never felt more inspired._

_It tore him up to be away from Kimberly for those three months, especially after they had just gotten together, but she understood his need to be close to his grandfather._

_Tommy poked her sides. "I have something for you."_

_Kimberly sat up, looking at him in confusion as he got up. "Tommy… you're not supposed to get me something on your birthday."_

_Tommy laughed. "Well, actually, I've had this for awhile, I just kept forgetting about it." He smiled sheepishly. "Now's as good a time as any to give it to you."_

_Kim giggled softly as he went to the back of the basement. Kimberly bit her lip as she studied his profile. It was sad to know her boyfriend had absolutely no awareness of how gorgeous he was. He was parading around his basement in a sleeveless tee and loose-fit jeans, his muscles exposed for her eyes only. She knew several girls at AGHS who would kill to be in a relationship with Tommy Oliver, and he was all hers…_

_Tommy headed back towards her, hands behind his back. "Close your eyes."_

_Kim followed his orders, covering her eyes with her hands. "Now open them."_

_She opened them quickly, only to see nothing in front of her. Tommy gave a short laugh. "Just kidding. Here you go." He handed her the gift._

_Kimberly's eyes widened. Tommy had given her a plant she had never seen before. It was small and white, and Kimberly instantly fell in love with it. _

_Tommy scratched the back of his neck. "It's called Collinsia childii, but the modern name is Child's Blue-Eyed Mary. When I went to visit my uncle on the reservation, we went hiking. I found this plant on the hike and I know you like plants so…" He trailed off._

_Kimberly gently ran a finger along the flower's petals, smiling widely. _

"…_and mom's been taking care of it since. I got it a few weeks ago but with football practice and stuff it just slipped my mind…"_

_She looked up at him, realizing that he was still talking. Quickly, Kimberly set the plant down before rushing to her boyfriend and kissing him hard. Tommy blinked hard when she pulled away. "Thank you, Tommy."_

_He grinned goofily. "I'm really glad you like it. I was really hoping you would."_

_Kim smiled at this, hugging him to her._

_Tommy had told her of his Native American heritage. His mother was originally from the Cahuilla tribe of Southern California, and Tommy wanted to maintain that connection with his heritage. He often visited his uncle Sam Trueheart and cousin David out on the reservation, and his uncle would take him up to the Cahuilla Mountain from time to time. When Tommy saw the flowers there, he knew he had to bring one back for Kim._

_Pulling back from him slightly, Kimberly ran her hands up his chest slowly, cupping the sides of his face. Slowly, she stood on the tips of her toes, meeting him in a slow kiss. Tommy wrapped his hands around her waist, keeping them perched just above her bottom. Feeling bold, Kimberly pressed her tongue against his lips, and he opened them, allowing her tongue to slip inside._

_Tommy gave a groan as their tongues softly collided, and his grip on her waist tightened. The low moan he heard in the back of her throat caused his chest to constrict tightly, and Tommy pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss._

_Tommy pulled back from her, walking around to take a seat on the couch. He pulled her along with him, and he gave a slight tug as she climbed on top of him. Kimberly's lips connected with his again and again, creating soft smacking noises in the quiet room._

_Kimberly's fingers curled in his hair and she subconsciously ground herself against his pelvis. Tommy grunted, hands grabbing onto her ass tightly. Kimberly tensed at the contact, pulling away from him._

_And just like that, the mood ended._

_Tommy took in large gulps of air, removing his hand from her butt. "Sorry," he muttered._

_Kim's face was flushed, her eyes hooded and lips swollen. "I-It's okay. We just got a little carried away."_

_Tommy nodded vigorously. "Yeah."_

_Kimberly climbed off of him, running a hand through her hair. Tommy sat up on the couch, keeping his eyes away from Kim._

_Kim cracked a smile at this, laughing softly at her boyfriend's nervousness. Quickly, she grabbed his thigh, pulling gently to indicate how she wanted him to sit. Tommy did as instructed, and Kimberly climbed back between his legs, resting back against him. They sat in silence for a while._

"_That was nice," she said finally. Tommy locked his fingers with hers._

"_You've never kissed me like that before," he said in a low tone. _

"_I've always wanted to," she admitted softly._

"_Feel free to do so at anytime. That was awesome," he blurted excitedly without thinking. Tommy tensed up, unsure of how Kim would react to his statement._

_He felt tremors against his chest, seeing Kim shake slightly._

_She was laughing._

"_Geez, someone's excited," she said sarcastically. She didn't have to look at Tommy to know his face was bright red. "But I'll keep that in mind."_

_Tommy felt his heart leap into his throat._

_She turned around slightly, tilting her head back to look up at him. "Happy birthday, Tommy."_

_He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Thank you, beautiful."_

Kim sighed, a wistful smile playing on her lips. What she wouldn't give…

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Kimberly gave a startled yelp, striking out at the person next to her.

"Ow!" yelled Adam, massaging his aching shin.

Kim gasped. "Oh, Adam! I'm so sorry," she mumbled, watching as the Korean-American boy slowly sat down beside her.

The beach was where Kim went when she needed to think. Given everything that happened the last few days, Adam was not surprised to find her there.

He shrugged it off. "It's my own fault. That's what I get for sneaking up on you. What were you thinking about, anyway, that had you so far off in space?"

Kim looked at the ground for a while.

"You ever wonder how life would be different if we weren't rangers?" she asked softly.

Adam remained silent for several seconds.

"All the time."

At the surprised look she shot him, Adam shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I love being a ranger. I like being able to know that the universe is safe and that I helped in some way." Adam paused. "But other times… I wonder what it would be like if we never met Zordon."

Kim watched as he played with the sand at his feet.

"We go to school every day and we see our friends living their normal lives. And I mean friends like Trini or Tanya, not the other rangers… even Bulk and Skull have normal lives." Adam shook his head. "Sometimes, I wish my biggest problem was just asking Tanya out on a date or the upcoming soccer game." He looked at her sadly. "We don't even get that luxury."

Adam laughed suddenly. "I totally get it now when I read my comics. How the heroes can't have a normal life once they put on the suit."

Kim cracked a smile at this. "You're saying we're like Spiderman or Batman?"

Adam shook his head. "No. We're the real deal."

And suddenly, the lightheartedness that settled over them disappeared.

"I hate him for lying to us," she whispered fiercely.

Adam nodded. "But…?" he supplied.

"But I get why he did it. Is it wrong that I want to keep being angry at him? Even if I understand?" she asked.

Adam considered this. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I think it's human."

Kim peered at the black ranger, noticing his stoic expression.

"You don't seem nearly as upset as I am," she said softly.

Adam shrugged. "At first I was. But then I thought about it from his perspective…" She threw him a look.

"Just hear me out, okay?" he asked. Seeing her no longer protesting, he continued.

"Just imagine if you got a message from your mother or father, who you greatly admired, asking you to put your life on hold to fix a mistake they made. You devote your entire life to this mission, to saving the universe and repairing all the damage done by your people.

"Then think about being basically a kid and seeing all the destruction that Zordon has seen. Sure, he's centuries old, but he was basically a child on his planet. And he also had to kill and make sacrifices like we did in order to save the universe."

Adam shook his head sadly. "And then he lands here, only to find that his mission can't continue. That has to be devastating when you know there's so much left to be done." Adam looked at Kim. "Just think about having a goal in mind for so long, and the reason you can't accomplish it is because of something out of your control.

"I understand why he found us, and I understand why he didn't tell us everything. His mind was focused on the mission, not us. I don't like it, but I get it. It's easy to be so caught up in a dream that you can't even notice what's happening right next to you. And honestly… I don't know how he would be able to tell a couple of teenagers that they have to become one of the only forces of Good in the galaxy and take lives to keep order."

Kim looked at the water before her, her anger now dissipating. "Don't make him out to be a victim, Adam."

The black ranger rolled his eyes. "That's the last thing I'm doing, trust me. I'm angry he lied to us and didn't trust us enough with the truth… but I can't really say if I were in his position that I would do any different," he admitted.

"Zordon's not a bad guy, Kim. We all know this… he just made a huge mistake."

Kim sighed. "Tommy and I could've died, Adam. He pretended he didn't know what was wrong with us. What if we hadn't found Ninjor? What if we remained on Earth, wasting away? What if we had-"

She couldn't bring herself to continue.

Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him. He kissed the top of her head softly.

"I don't know if I can forgive him for that," she said softly. The black ranger looked out at the ocean, running an arm up and down her side.

"Me neither."

* * *

**Greg Oliver's Summer Cabin**

**Stone Canyon, CA**

**3:02 AM**

Rocky Desantos knocked on the door of the large wooden cabin, slightly surprised when the door opened on its own. Pushing the door softly, Rocky stepped inside, not finding Tommy anywhere in sight.

"T!" he yelled loudly, not hearing a response.

Rocky walked around the cabin, checking the many rooms for any signs of Tommy. The red ranger originally wanted to be alone, mind still racing from the last few days. He felt incredibly agitated, however, and headed straight for the cabin to find Tommy.

Rocky stepped out into the backyard of the cabin, finally finding the white ranger.

Tommy's eyes were closed as he went through a kata. Rocky crossed his arms, getting a strong sense of déjà vu watching the teen. He smiled lightly, remembering when he first saw Tommy perform the kata.

_Adam Park bounced lightly on his feet as he practiced several kicks and punches, ready for his next round in the martial arts competition at the Youth Center. Adam was the number one martial artist at AGHS, having a second degree black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu. _

"_Good luck today, Adam. I'll be watching you," Margarita said lecherously as she pressed herself against him. Adam gave a tight smile until she walked away, and then shuddered from the unwanted contact. _

_Rocky laughed loudly at his friend's discomfort, enjoying seeing him squirm from Margarita's attention. Rocky had just lost his round, now watching as Adam was about to compete against the newcomer in the final round. Rocky was sure he could beat the challenger from Stone Canyon having seen him fight earlier. Rocky hadn't expected the new kid to switch from karate to Jiu-Jitsu for that round, but given that this was a mixed martial arts competition, it should have been expected. _

_The fourteen-year-old hated to admit it, but he was impressed by the new kid's style._

"_Final round in ten minutes! Final round in ten minutes! Park and Oliver, be ready!" yelled the referee._

_The new kid, Thomas Oliver, had just moved to Angel Grove from Stone Canyon. He stood off to the side, practicing a kata with his eyes closed._

_Aisha, Kim, Billy, and Tanya stood behind Rocky and Adam._

"_All right, Adam, this guy is tricky," said Rocky. "I thought he was only going to pull out karate, but you saw him in that last round." Adam nodded._

"_Jiu-Jitsu," said Adam in wonder. "He was impressive," he added with concern._

_Aisha scoffed. "Come on, Adam. You've got this! You're the man at kung fu."_

_Tanya reached out a comforting hand. "You can totally win this, Adam." Adam felt himself flush under her touch, much to Rocky's amusement._

"_Not if he doesn't explode first," he whispered lowly._

_Trini stomped on his foot, causing him to groan. "Adam, you'll be awesome," she said sweetly, ignoring Rocky's heated glare._

"_Well, Adam, I for one am most certain you will not lose this round," said Billy. The others looked at him. "This newcomer is quite good, but your skills at Shaolin Kung Fu are unrivaled."_

_Adam smiled. "Thanks, Billy."_

_Rocky peered over at Kim, the only one in their group not to say anything. The petite girl had a strange look in her eyes, as if they were glazed over._

"_Kimmie?" he questioned softly. Kim bit her bottom lip softly as she watched the new kid. _

"_He's really cute."_

_The girls giggled while Rocky felt his eyes roll into the back of his head. "You have got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed. Billy simply sighed while Adam shook his head._

_As if feeling her gaze, Tommy looked over to her, face flushing red slightly at catching the eye of the pretty girl. She gave a small wave at him and he blinked hard, waving back with a goofy grin._

_Aisha laughed outright. "Oh boy… Kim's got another admirer."_

_It was only the fall of freshman year, and Kim had at least fifteen boys wanting to ask her out. The young girl was flattered but ultimately uninterested, knowing their attention only came from the growth spurt she had the summer before starting high school._

"_He is gorgeous, isn't he?" added Trini, much to Billy's annoyance._

_Kim giggled. "Yeah, you can say that again." _

_Rocky waved a hand in her face. "Hey now, focus on Adam. You're drooling over his opponent, Kim. Not cool," he scowled._

_Kim rolled her eyes, turning to Adam. "You know I want you to win, don't you?" Adam nodded._

"_And you will," she said happily. "Adam's amazing, Rocky. We know he can do it. I'm just scoping out the competition… no harm in that."_

_Rocky turned from her. "Fraternizing with the enemy will not be tolerated." She poked him in his side, watching the smile that played on his lips as she began to tickle him._

"_Okay. Oliver, Park…take your corners."_

_Adam cracked his fingers before heading to the mat. Tommy lifted himself from a split, rolling his shoulders as he stood opposite Adam. The two boys bowed to each other, and the match began._

_To everyone's surprise, Tommy did not fight using karate or Jiu-Jitsu, but instead Muay Thai. Adam was only somewhat familiar with the style and he fought vigorously to keep the upper hand in the match. _

_Rocky watched from the sidelines like a kid at a candy store, wide-eyed at the awesome display of martial arts skills before him. He had never seen Muay Thai in person, nor had he ever seen Adam fight so fiercely._

_As the match continued, it became apparent that the two boys were evenly matched, and unsurprisingly, the round ended in a tie. The two bowed to each other again at the end, each grasping one handle of the trophy._

_Rocky and the others walked up to Adam, congratulating him on winning first place. Adam smiled widely, happy with the turn of events. He looked over to his left, noticing Tommy was gathering his things in his gym bag. Adam excused himself from the group, walking over to the boy wearing the green bandana._

"_Hey… Tommy, right?" he asked._

_Tommy turned to look at him, nodding slowly. "You're Adam," he stated._

_The Korean-American boy nodded. "You were really good back there," he began. "I thought I was done for sure when I saw you fighting with Muay Thai."_

_Tommy grinned. "I've only been doing it for a few years… I'm not incredibly good at it, but I knew it would throw you off. Your kung fu is amazing. Shaolin, right?"_

_Adam smiled. "Yeah. And even for just a few years training, that was pretty impressive. So karate, Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai? Nice."_

_Tommy shrugged. "I like to diversify my training. Learn as much as possible." He stopped when he saw a large group of people walking towards him, including the guy he beat in the semi-finals and the girl he had been eyeing since arriving to Angel Grove… Kimberly._

"_You were pretty awesome out there, dude. Name's Rocky, by the way," said Rocky, extending his hand. Tommy clasped his strongly, giving it a firm shake. He noticed the way Rocky stood protectively in front of the girls, mostly the short African American girl with braids. _

_Rocky pointed at everyone behind him, stating their name as they waved hello. "This is Billy, Tanya, Trini, Aisha, and…"_

"_I'm Kimberly. You're new around here, aren't you?" the brown-haired girl asked, extending her hand to him._

_Tommy reached out, taking her hand in his. "Yeah. I'm Tommy," he said softly. _

"_Hi," she said, flashing him a smile._

"_Hi," he said back just as softly, his eyes raked over her body in a once over._

_Rocky sighed irritably as he heard Aisha and Tanya softly giggle behind him as the two continued to hold hands._

_Kim blushed, quickly dropping his. "Listen, we're heading over to the Juice Bar to get some smoothies. You wanna join us?" Kimberly gently placed a hand on his arm._

_Aisha raised an eyebrow at this. Kimberly was usually pretty shy around guys she liked; this forwardness was definitely new._

"_Yeah, sure," he smiled. "Just let me grab my things and I'll be over there in a few."_

_She smiled. "Okay." She watched as Tommy turned back to gather his things, her eyes focused on his muscles._

_Rocky looked between Tommy and Kim, turning to Billy. "I think the rest of us just went invisible…" he muttered lowly._

"_Affirmative," said Billy, both annoyed and amused by the interaction of the two teenagers. _

_Rocky snorted as he watched Tommy head over to them, standing next to Kim as they walked over to the Juice Bar. Their arms would brush against each other's every so often, causing the two to look at each other before quickly looking away._

_Rocky groaned. _

_High school was going to be interesting._

"I don't wanna talk, Rock," said Tommy gruffly. His eyes were still closed as he went through the routine.

"Good," said Rocky as he walked over to him. "I don't either."

Tommy's eyes opened as he looked at him questioningly before recognizing Rocky's intention.

The two boys stood before each other and bowed before beginning to spar.

Rocky was immediately on the defensive, blocking Tommy's strikes. The longhaired teen was fighting with a ferocity Rocky had never seen before, attacking him savagely. Tommy jumped up, performing a spinning kick that Rocky barely managed to dodge.

The red ranger crouched low, rolling on the ground to come up on the other side of Tommy.

"All right," he said breathlessly, summoning his katana. "Let's go."

Tommy gave a curt nod, his bo staff appearing in his hands. Twirling it quickly, Tommy began to swing at Rocky. He delivered a blow to the red ranger's stomach, and Rocky grunted in pain. He swung a blade at Tommy, forcing the older teen to duck before slamming his elbow into Tommy's face.

The white ranger's head flew backwards, and he groaned when Rocky launched a spinning roundhouse kick to his chest. Tommy fell to his back, kipping up just as quickly. He charged Rocky, swinging his staff low before sweeping Rocky's feet from beneath him. Rocky landed on his back with a hard thud, swinging his legs around quickly and using the momentum to return to a standing position.

The two boys continued to fight for several minutes, ending with them both bruised and sore. They breathed heavily, and Rocky wiped away the sweat that was now sliding down his face. Tommy's long hair was no longer in its strict ponytail, loose strands sticking to his forehead.

Tommy's chest heaved as he caught his breath, and he felt his bo staff slowly slip from his fingers. Rocky watched as the white ranger's eyes lost their fire; he was no longer enraged but instead completely drained. Rocky put away his katana, moving over to stand next to Tommy.

Rocky hesitantly placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder; the older teen showed no recognition of his presence.

"Tommy, you okay, man?" asked Rocky. Tommy's eyes remained on the ground. Rocky shook him softly and Tommy's eyes snapped up to his. He blinked hard.

"You've been a ranger as long as I have," he began. Rocky nodded. "What would you do in my position? Knowing that the person who was your mentor - the person you admired most - betrayed your trust and almost got you killed?"

The soft tone Tommy used was a chilling contrast to the words leaving his mouth. Rocky looked at his friend for some time.

"It's easy for me to tell you what to do because I haven't been there," he admitted. "To be honest, I don't know what I'd do if it were Aisha and me and your and Kim's position." Rocky crossed his arms over his chest.

"Zordon fucked up, you know? I don't think he wanted to hurt you guys or get you killed. We both know what it's like to get so caught up and do things that aren't exactly right…" He shot Tommy a look. "Doesn't mean I think old Z gets a free pass on this. We all should be mad at him, especially you and Kimmie."

Rocky held up his hands. "You and Kim suffered the most from this. Whatever you guys decide, I'm on your side."

Tommy looked at his friend before a smile graced his lips. He turned away from Rocky, heading to his uncle's cabin.

He stopped, calling to Rocky over his shoulder.

"I think it's time we have a team meeting."

* * *

**Angel Grove Park**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**4:16 AM**

Aisha Campbell sat on the bench at the park a few feet down from the sandbox. The last few days were a blur for the yellow ranger. She had seen and done too much in her young life, and it was starting to get to her.

She felt someone take a seat beside her.

"You do realize it is dangerous for you to be out here alone, don't you?" the person beside her asked.

Aisha smiled lightly. "Then I guess it's a good thing I'm not alone."

The two stared out into the darkness.

"Everything is so messed up, Billy," she murmured lowly. "When we first decided to be rangers, I didn't think it would be so…" She searched for the word.

"Convoluted?" he offered. She nodded.

"I remember thinking it would be cool to fight with you guys… we'd get to be ninjas and save the world. I had no idea what I was getting into," she said softly.

Billy looked over at her sadly. "None of us did."

"_Okay, so here's the plan," said Rocky. "Adam, I'm going to pass you the ball. Billy's going to be the one covering you so try and shake him. Pass the ball to Tanya when you're free and she can take it home. We all know no one can outrun Tanya. Aisha and I will cover Tommy and Kim."_

_The other three teens nodded before breaking from the huddle. _

_It was a Friday afternoon in Angel Grove Park and the eight friends were playing a game of flag football. Rocky's team wore green flags around their waists while Tommy's team wore black. It was four on four – Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Tanya versus Tommy, Billy, Trini, and Kimberly._

_Billy observed the other four curiously, moving over to stand beside Tommy. _

"_Tanya's going to run it," said Billy. _

_Tommy sighed. "Rocky's so damn predictable. We already know he's always going to have Tanya run the ball. She's their fastest player."_

_Billy laughed. "I suspect this time he will attempt to trick us by passing it to someone else first."_

_The two boys looked over the other team quickly, noticing Adam's slightly agitated stance._

"_Adam," they said simultaneously._

_Tommy motioned for the girls to come over._

"_All right, Rocky's going to pass to Adam who's then going to pass to Tanya. She's going to run the ball."_

_Kim raised an eyebrow. "Again?"_

_Tommy shrugged. "Yeah, I know. Look, Kim, you cover Rocky. I'll cover Tanya. Trini, you take Aisha and Billy covers Adam." The teens moved into position._

_Aisha hiked the ball to Rocky, who caught it effortlessly. He waited for Adam to be in the clear before throwing the ball to his friend… but the ball stopped in midair._

_Like it was stuck._

"_What the –" Rocky grunted as Kimberly slammed into him, sending them both crashing to the ground. _

_Quickly, she snatched the green flag from around his waist, holding it triumphantly in the air. "Got ya!" she said smugly._

_Rocky rubbed the back of his head, which was now tender from the fall. His eyes were fixed on the ball that was still suspended in the air. Rocky grabbed Kim's shoulders, physically turning her to look at the ball._

_She gave a startled gasp. "How did…" She slowly climbed to her feet, Rocky following her lead._

_Adam and Billy were standing several feet away from them. Adam was staring at the ball in fascination, while Billy walked towards it, muttering to himself._

_He hesitantly touched the ball with a finger, eyes widening when it did not budge._

"_Fascinating."_

_Tommy was standing in front of Tanya, startled to see her not blinking or even breathing. She was in mid-jump, mouth open and hands spread comically. Tommy poked her hard in the stomach, only to wince when pain shot through his finger; it was like jabbing a stone._

"_Tommy," Kimberly hissed at him, and he flushed slightly before moving to stand by her._

_Aisha was wiggling away from Trini. The shorter girl had just been grabbed by the back of her shirt in Trini's attempt to grab her flag. Aisha tugged hard and fell on her butt roughly once she was free. Rocky quickly helped her to her feet._

"_Guys, what the hell is going on?" she asked, staring at Trini's still face._

_Kimberly looked around her, gasping as she now realized that _everything_ was frozen. _

_The birds in the air were no longer moving. A tree with leaves being rustled by the breeze was now stuck leaning to one side. Further down from them, a Golden Retriever was in the air with a Frisbee in its mouth, its owner also unmoving._

_The teens looked around the park, seeing children stuck with smiling faces on the swings, high in the air. Cars on the road nearby were stationary; in one car, a passenger rested in the seat, hotdog just centimeters from her mouth._

_The teens huddled together, now highly disturbed at being the only people moving in the park._

"_This is too weird," said Kimberly, her hand clutched in Tommy's. He had grabbed her hand out of instinct, and she was not about to let go anytime soon._

"_Billy, any thoughts?" asked Rocky. _

_Billy shot him a heated glare. "Why would I have any idea as to why everyone is suddenly frozen, Rocky?" he asked irritably._

"_Dude, you're the smartest person I know! If anyone would know what the fuck is going on, I'd think it'd be you!" the fifteen-year-old exclaimed defensively._

_Billy rolled his eyes. "Sorry to disappoint, but I haven't the slightest inclination as to –"_

_The ground beneath their feet began to shake slightly._

_Adam furrowed his brow. "Earthquake?" _

_Tommy looked around them wildly. "This isn't an earthquake." Nothing about any of this was right._

_One by one, the teens began to emit a faint blue glow, starting at the base of their feet and slowly crawling up their bodies. A low whistling noise was heard, increasing in volume as their bodies were covered in the blue light. The ground beneath their feet shook again violently before their bodies began to hum and cackle with energy._

_Rocky gasped. "Oh sh –"_

_The six teens disappeared from the park, materializing seconds later in a dark room._

_Adam blinked rapidly, realizing he was lying on his back. He could hear the groans of the others around him, their limbs tangled as they landed in unceremoniously in a heap on the cold floor._

_He blinked hard as a yellow lightning bolt on a red background appeared before him. His eyes traveled upwards slowly, coming to rest upon an oval-shaped machine with lights on the front._

"_Hello."_

_A sudden flurry of curse words was heard followed by scrambling. Billy climbed up to his feet, standing next to Rocky and Adam, who were respectively standing before Aisha and Kimberly. Tommy stood in front of all of them. The teens looked at the robot in alarm._

"_Did that thing just talk?" asked Rocky. _

_The robot's hands rested on its hips. "Yes, it did. And it can hear you." _

_The teens backed away in shock._

_Billy peered at the robot curiously before taking a tentative step forward. Tommy watched the blue-eyed teen warily as he moved to stand before the machine._

"_Whoa." He circled the robot. "A fully sentient, multi-functional automaton." He looked back at the others excitedly. "I've never seen anything like it!" He grabbed onto the sides of the machine's head, peering at it from side to side._

_The robot gently grabbed onto the boy's wrists before stepping away slowly._

"_My name is Alpha 5."_

_Seeing that the robot was not harming Billy, the others soon moved forward, poking at the little robot in curiosity._

_A thunderous crack from behind them startled the teens, and they turned to see a very large head in a huge tube._

"_WELCOME, HUMANS."_

_The six said nothing, staring in complete shock at the large head. Rocky quickly reached behind Tommy, shoving him forward to stand before the large being. Aisha smacked Rocky on the arm, although slightly amused at his actions._

"_H-Hi…" Tommy cleared his throat. "So… who the hell are you?" _

_Billy closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. Leave it to Tommy to greet someone so rudely…_

_The large head appeared to smirk._

"_MY NAME IS ZORDON. I AM AN INTERGALACTIC WIZARD FROM A FAR AWAY PLANET KNOWN AS ELTAR, AND I COME TO YOU FOR HELP."_

"_Eltar?" asked Billy. "I've never heard of it."_

"_IT IS A PLANET THAT EXISTS AT THE EDGE OF A NEIGHBORING GALAXY."_

"_So you're an alien?" asked Rocky. _

"_I BELIEVE THAT IS THE TERM YOU USE ON YOUR PLANET, YES."_

_Rocky gave a wide grin, turning to Adam. "I told you they exist," he said smugly._

_Adam glared at his friend. "Not now, man," he whispered before turning back to the large head. "How did you bring us here? What exactly is here, and what did you do to everyone in the park?"_

"_I AM TRAPPED IN MY ENERGY TUBE, HAVING TRAVELED LIGHTYEARS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE TO CARRYOUT MY MISSION."_

"_And what is this mission?" asked Billy._

"_TO SAVE US ALL." _

_The teens looked at each other._

"_How are we supposed to help you?" asked Aisha._

"_MY MISSION HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD SINCE I LANDED ON YOUR PLANET. I CANNOT SURVIVE ON EARTH; YOUR PLANET'S ATMOSPHERE CONTAINS NITROGEN, A SUBSTANCE THAT IS TOXIC TO MY PEOPLE. I NEED WARRIORS TO CARRY ON MY MISSION, AND I AM ASKING YOU."_

_Kim shook her head. "Why us? We're not warriors – we're teenagers!"_

"_BECAUSE YOU ARE THE CHOSEN FOR THIS WAR." Zordon smiled sadly at the petite girl._

"_THE UNIVERSE IS IN DANGER OF FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF EVIL. RIGHT NOW, TWO BEINGS BY THE NAME OF RITA REPULSA AND LORD ZEDD ARE WREAKING HAVOC ACROSS SPACE. THEY HAVE TEAMED UP, HAVING RECENTLY MARRIED, AND ARE PLANNING TO TAKE OVER THE UNIVERSE."_

_Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Two people are trying to take over the universe? It's huge! There's no way they can do it."_

_Zordon looked down at him. "THEY HAVE ALREADY CONQUERED SIX PLANETS. YOURS IS NEXT."_

_Adam's eyes widened. "How long do we have until they come for Earth?"_

"_I DO NOT KNOW, BUT I DO NOT SUSPECT LONG. RITA AND ZEDD HAVE RECENTLY MADE A BASE ON YOUR MOON, THEIR LUNAR PALACE. WITH THEM IS ONE OF THE VILEST CREATURES OF THIS AGE, GOLDAR. WITH HIM, ALONG WITH THEIR POWERS, YOUR PLANET IS DOOMED."_

"_What powers do they have?" asked Billy._

"_RITA IS A SORCERESS BY BIRTH, BUT SHE AND ZEDD HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION A GREAT SOURCE OF POWER, ONE THAT MAKES THEM NEARLY INVINCIBLE."_

"_If they're so powerful, how can we beat them?" asked Tommy._

_Alpha walked around in front of them. "With these." In the robot's hands was a small wooden box that contained six gold coins. The teens gathered around the box, shocked to see the coins cackling with blue energy._

"_BEFORE YOU ARE POWER COINS OF THE NINJETTI WARRIORS." _

_The teens turned back to look at Zordon._

"_THESE COINS WILL EMPOWER YOU WITH THE SKILLS AND POWER OF THE NINJETTI WARRIORS, THE STRONGEST IN THE UNIVERSE."_

_He watched as the teens turned back to the box, looking at each other warily._

"_ON EACH COIN IS AN ANIMAL SPIRIT THAT IS INHERENT TO THE HOLDER OF THE COIN. NO TWO CAN POSSESS THE SAME SPIRIT. WHEN I MADE THESE COINS, THESE WERE THE SPIRITS THAT APPEARED." He paused. "THESE BELONG TO YOU."_

"_The coin only works for the one who it is destined for," said Alpha. He set the box down on top of the control panel._

"_Are you sure these belong to us?" asked Adam softly. Zordon looked over at the young boy._

"_YES. I CANNOT FORCE YOU TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE; I CAN ONLY GIVE YOU THE OPTION."_

_Alpha 5 pointed to the box. "You can grab your coin." _

"_How will we know who gets what?" asked Rocky. _

"_YOU WILL KNOW."_

_No one moved for some time, all too hesitant to do anything. Seeing this, Tommy took a deep breath, walking over to the box. Looking down at the coins, Tommy could faintly hear the cries of a bird in his ear. His eyes were drawn to the coin at the far left, and it slowly began to levitate out of the box. Slowly, he grabbed the coin, gasping at the surge of power he felt hit him._

_The others watched as Tommy moved away from the box, his body humming with energy. _

_One by one, the others followed, each grabbing the coin that floated out of the box for them._

_Zordon smiled as he realized it worked; he had found his six warriors._

"_CLOSE YOUR EYES AND FOCUS ON THE ENERGY THAT IS NOW FLOWING THROUGH YOU. LOOK DEEP INSIDE YOURSELVES AND FIND YOUR ANIMAL SPIRIT. LET IT GUIDE YOU."_

_Rocky looked up at Zordon questioningly before he closed his eyes, the others following suit. The teens felt a large swirl of wind surround them and heard a loud crack in the air. Sensing the wind had died down; they opened their eyes, surprised to see themselves wearing robes._

_The teens looked at their clothes, eyes dancing in excitement. They pulled back the hood of their robes, which were all the same except for the color and the emblem on their chests._

_Zordon looked at the six before him, a true smile gracing his face._

"_YOU ARE THE CHOSEN, THE NINJETTI WARRIORS."_

_Rocky laughed. "We're ninjas! This is too awesome for so many reasons!" _

_Zordon stared down at them, focusing first on Aisha._

"_AISHA, YOU ARE THE BEAR, FIERCE AND UNSTOPPABLE." She smiled, running a hand over her yellow robes._

"_ROCKY: POWERFUL… SMART. YOU ARE THE MIGHTY APE." Rocky grinned, staring at his red robes._

"_BILLY, YOU ARE THE WOLF. CUNNING AND SWIFT." The boy in blue robes smiled, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose._

"_AGILE KIMBERLY, LIGHT AS A FEATHER. YOU ARE THE CRANE." Kim couldn't help the nervous smile that graced her lips. Her favorite color was purple, but pink was definitely a close second. She played with the headband tied around her head._

"_ADAM, YOU ARE THE FROG. COURAGEOUS IN SPIRIT." The teen in black simply smiled, though Kim noticed his somewhat sad expression._

"_AND TOMMY, YOU ARE THE FALCON, WINGED LORD OF THE SKIES." Tommy stood quietly in his white robes, his hands smoothing over his falcon emblem._

"_TO BE IN HARMONY WITH THE SACRED ANIMAL SPIRIT IS TO HAVE THE FORCE OF THE NINJETTI." He paused, looking at the teens before him. "TO THOSE WHO ARE NINJETTI, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE."_

_They all looked at each other, too overwhelmed to say anything in response._

_Kim nudged Adam in his side. "Adam… Adam, what's wrong?" she asked in concern. _

"_Everyone else gets a cool line and I get 'courageous in spirit.' How does that even apply to a frog?" he asked softly._

"_It totally applies to you; you're just being grumpy."_

_He looked at her glumly. "Kim, of course I'm grumpy. I'm a frog."_

_She giggled. "Yes, a frog…" Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him. "Like the one you kiss." Standing on the tips of her toes, Kim pressed a quick kiss to Adam's cheek, causing a red tinge to grace his cheeks._

_She reached up, ruffling his short hair. "You get a handsome prince."_

_He rolled his eyes at the line, though he couldn't help the smile on his face. "Real cute, Kim." _

_She gave a soft laugh._

_Zordon watched the teens in black and pink interact and was hit with a sudden pang of guilt. The six before him were nothing more than mere children. He couldn't ask them to do this, to halt their lives in order to fight a war he could not. But at the same time, if they didn't, everything would be ruined. There would be nothing to defend, nothing to live for…_

_And suddenly, it no longer mattered that they were but children on this universe. This war needed to end now._

"_I CANNOT FORCE YOU TO TAKE ON THIS ROLE, ONLY GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIGHT FOR THE GREATER GOOD." The teens looked up at the coins in their hands._

"_What happens if we say yes?" asked Tommy._

"_THEN YOU WILL FIGHT AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL AND PROTECT THE UNIVERSE. YOU WILL BECOME THE POWER RANGERS, ONE OF THE FEW FORCES OF GOOD IN THE UNIVERSE. WITH THESE POWERS, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DEFEAT RITA AND ZEDD._

"_ALL OF YOU POSSESS NATURAL TALENTS WHICH WILL HELP YOU IN BATTLE. YOU ARE ALL CAPABLE OF GREATNESS, BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY, AND I HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WILL SUCCEED."_

_Aisha looked at them. "I'm down for it, but I'll only do it if you guys are with me."_

"_I'm going wherever Aisha goes," said Rocky firmly, missing the appreciative glance she gave him._

_Adam gave a small smile. "Sounds like it can be fun. Scary... but fun, nonetheless."_

_Billy crossed his arms over his chest. "It would appear that the most logical choice would be to fight to protect the universe. In spite of my reservations on whether or not we are actually capable of accomplishing such a huge task –"_

"_We have to try," finished Tommy. Billy nodded._

_Kim took a deep breath. "I say we go for it."_

_Alpha 5 clapped his hands. "Ay-yi-yi! A joyous occasion indeed!" he exclaimed, turning to Zordon with what could be interpreted as a happy expression._

"_RANGERS, I AM GLAD YOU HAVE DECIDED TO JOIN US IN OUR FIGHT. TOMMY."_

_The long-haired teen looked up at the Eltarian._

"_AS THE ELDEST, YOU WILL BE THE LEADER."_

_Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"_

"_YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF THE TEAM AND WILL LEAD THE THEM INTO BATTLE." He paused. "I HAVE OBSERVED YOU FROM THE VIEWING GLOBE FOR SOME TIME. I BELIEVE YOU POSSESS THE QUALITIES THAT WILL MAKE YOU A FINE LEADER."_

_Tommy's mouth went dry and he swallowed thickly. Tommy wasn't sure what Zordon was talking about; he didn't want to lead anyone into anything. He was just getting used to being on a team in football; how the hell was he supposed to do this?_

_Rocky clapped him on the back. "Sucks to be you," he whispered._

_The teens gasped as devices suddenly appeared on their wrists. They looked like silver watches, only without a face, and the markings were not of any language on Earth._

"_These are your communicators," said Alpha 5._

"_Prodigious," said Billy as he ran a finger along the device._

"_When you are needed, your communicators will be used to contact you as well as to teleport."_

_Adam grinned. "Sweet."_

_Kim bit her bottom lip. "Um… Zordon?" The being looked at her. "What about fighting? I know we all have some sort of athletic background, but..." she trailed off._

"_THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO FIGHT, KIMBERLY. ALL OF YOU HAVE SOME FIGHTING EXPERIENCE AND AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU ARE ALL ATHLETES. THIS GIVES YOU A SOLID FOUNDATION TO BEGIN WITH._

"_YOUR NINJETTI POWERS WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO MORE THAN YOU REALIZE. ALPHA, TAKE THE RANGERS TO THE STUDY AND SHOW THEM NINJOR'S SCROLLS. THAT SHOULD GIVE THEM SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF. A TOUR OF THE COMMAND CENTER WOULD ALSO BE BENEFICIAL."_

"_This way, rangers," said the small robot as it made its way out of the main control room._

_Rocky followed behind Alpha, imitating the robot walking. Aisha smacked him in the back of his head; Adam snickered as Rocky pouted. Tommy and Kimberly followed Alpha into the main corridor, hands linked together. Billy remained in the control room, eyes wandering over the panels and keys in wonder._

"_Billy!" called Kim, startling the sandy-haired teen. He ran over to his friends, following them down the hallway._

_Zordon waited until the teens were out of the room before closing his eyes. They had no idea what lay ahead of them. He could tell from their demeanor that they believed this to be some type of new adventure, a mixture of curiosity, nervousness, and excitement in their eyes._

"_MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU."_

"I feel so dumb," Aisha admitted. "Following Zordon so blindly…"

"We had no reason to believe he was deceiving us," said Billy.

"Yeah, but still… it sucks." Billy gave his silent agreement.

"If Zordon had been upfront with us… from the very beginning, I mean… would you have agreed to be a ranger?" she asked.

Billy was silent for a long time, and Aisha assumed he wouldn't answer her question.

"Truthfully?" he asked softly. She nodded.

He opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by an annoying beeping noise. Moving his communicator to his mouth, he pressed the red button.

"I read you."

"Come to the cabin. I'm calling a team meeting," said Tommy over the link.

Billy turned to look at Aisha before they stood, disappearing in flashes of blue and yellow.

* * *

**Greg Oliver's Summer Cabin**

**Stone Canyon, CA**

**5:22 AM**

Tommy stepped out of the kitchen of his uncle's cabin, glad to see the other rangers sitting in the living room. Due to the time difference on Eltar, they were all wide awake and very alert.

Tommy sat on the large brown couch in the room next to Adam and Aisha. Rocky sat in the loveseat with Kim, and Billy remained on the floor, legs crossed Indian style.

"We all know why I called this meeting," began Tommy. "I would like for us to discuss this openly."

Seeing no one speak up, Tommy cleared his throat.

"Okay… well, I guess I would like to bring up the issue of fighting at the Lunar Palace." He looked around at his friends. "I still think we should do it."

Rocky threw him an incredulous look. "Why wouldn't we do it?"

Billy looked at him thoughtfully. "It is understandable that some of us may be angry enough with Zordon that the urge to fight has left them."

Adam shook his head. "We took an oath. We promised Zordon we would fight Zedd and Rita, and that's what we're going to do."

Aisha bit her lip. "But what about after?"

No one said anything in response.

"I must admit," Billy began, "that even though I was initially upset with Zordon's decision to keep us in the dark, I no longer feel anger towards him."

Tommy threw his friend a curious look. "Really?"

Billy nodded. "Shocking as it may be, I can say now I do not see anything wrong with his actions – upon retrospect."

Kim looked at Billy with a startled expression.

"The fact of the matter is that Zordon did not do anything we would not have done ourselves… and to be fair, have already done so."

"What?" asked Rocky.

Billy shot a hesitant glance at Tommy before sighing. "You were upset with Zordon for not being truthful with us from the beginning, correct? Yet when faced with a similar decision, did you not want to take the same course of action?"

Tommy's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That's a lie."

"Is it?" challenged Billy.

"I suggest you elaborate before making accusations, William." Billy knew with the use of his first name, he was skating on thin ice with his best friend.

Billy ran his nails along the polished wooden floor of the cabin.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but before we left for our mission to Eltar, weren't you planning not to tell the others of what was going on with you and Kimberly?" He shot a look at the now suddenly still pink ranger. "You both were aware that something was wrong with you, and yet you were initially going to go on this mission, keeping information from the rest of us."

The color drained out of Tommy's face. "That- that's not… we…"

Rocky grew angry. "You weren't going to tell us? You were going to let us wander on Eltar without knowing you two would go all Hulk on us?" he asked heatedly.

Billy shook his head. "I am not saying this to throw this in their face nor to create discord amongst our team, only to provide you with some perspective." Billy rose to his feet.

"I did the same," he admitted ruefully. "When I initially suspected Zordon was keeping something from us, I did not share my suspicions with any of you. And even when I got confirmation that physical contact with the shard we collected from Greece was harmful to the two of you, I said nothing for some time."

Adam watched his blue-eyed friend warily. "So everyone's keeping secrets from each other? Is that your point?"

"No," said Billy. "The point I'm attempting to make is that we all made questionable decisions for the same reason… me, Tommy, Kim, Zordon." He stopped moving, standing in front of everyone with his hands crossed over his chest.

"Our motivation was to protect each other, and in doing so, we chose to omit pertinent information to keep the larger picture alive."

Kim looked at Billy sadly. "You didn't say anything because you didn't want any of us to worry about the fact that the shard was killing us; you knew it would only cause distress."

He nodded.

"And we didn't say anything because we knew the state of the universe was more important than our lives… that telling you would cause you to lose focus on a mission that was too important," said Tommy softly.

Aisha sighed. "And Zordon didn't tell us everything because he knew there was a chance we might've said no." She scrunched up her face. "Would any of you have turned him down?" she asked. "If you knew the truth from the beginning?"

Tommy ran a hand over his face. "I don't know. I don't even remember what it's like to be a teenager anymore, much less how I was at sixteen." He scratched his head. "I would like to think that I would have said yes."

Rocky crossed his arms over his chest with a shrug. "I would have done it. Haven't been a kid since my dad left… saving the world would've just been one more thing."

Adam looked around them nervously. "I would've said yes… but I wouldn't have wanted to do it."

Aisha looked at him curiously. "Why not?"

Adam leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. "Knowing what I know now… how up in the air everything is…" He looked down at the ground. "I'm not a fan of nearly getting killed all the time or having to kill to save lives; it seems counterintuitive." He sighed. "But I can't sit back and watch innocent people suffer, knowing I could do something to prevent it."

Tommy shared a look with the black ranger, acknowledging that they felt the same way. He and Adam were similar in that regardless of personal feelings; their sense of duty always won out in the end.

Kim bit her lip. "I think I would've said yes, but mainly because I knew you guys were with me." She smiled at them. "You guys are my closest friends. I would've been scared shitless, but knowing that you were with me… I don't know. It would've made it easier to fight somehow."

Rocky gently squeezed Kim's hand, grinning down at her.

Aisha shrugged. "I've been nearly killed several times, and I actually almost died once…. almost got my head snapped off by a freakish dog thing…" She shuddered. "Even with everything going on - the good and the bad - I'd still do it," she said confidently.

They all turned to look at Billy, who wore a faraway expression on his face.

"I would've said no."

Rocky frowned. "Wait… really?"

Billy walked slowly to the couch, taking a seat on the armrest. He smiled wistfully.

"I was originally blinded by the novelty of it all… a being from another galaxy, a robot that functioned like a human… the alien technology! Coupled with the knowledge that my closest and essentially _only _friends would be with me for this particular adventure? That's difficult for a shy, socially-isolated fifteen-year-old boy to pass on."

Billy's expression became serious. "I grew a lot as a person because of joining this team. I've seen some incredible things, met unbelievable people… but I've also experienced horrible things. I've seen such savage brutality in these last two years, witnessed genocide and destruction..." He swallowed thickly. "I've committed murder."

Billy sighed heavily. "I know the right choice was to fight for Zordon, to fight for the greater good… but I cannot truly rationalize losing such a defining part of myself in the process. When we fight, we are scarred and bruised, and those wounds heal with time. But here," he pointed to his head, "we are damaged beyond repair, and nothing can ever reverse it."

Billy sighed. "I cannot change my decision to fight as a power ranger two years ago, and I live with my choice… but if given the chance to choose again, I would not go down the same path."

Kimberly looked at Billy, her eyes slightly moist. "Do you really feel like you've lost that part of yourself?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Don't you?"

Kim considered this. "Sometimes I do," she admitted. "Sometimes I feel so…" she searched for the words. "So worn down, so far gone from who I truly am. And other times I'm happy and feel like myself." She bit her lip. "It's complicated."

Rocky sat forward. "I really haven't had this problem. I mean, yeah… sometimes I'm not exactly thrilled with the things I have to do or the choices that I've made, but I'm okay with it. I know I'm doing the right thing, and I'm at peace with it. Not particularly happy… but at peace."

He looked at Billy directly. "We can't go back to how we were. We don't have the luxury of a second chance to go back and change our minds." He pointed at the ground. "_This_ is now. This is what we're doing, and this is who we are."

Billy looked at him. "It's not that I don't accept this as my reality, Rocky…"

"You just wish this wasn't it," supplied Adam.

"Precisely."

"But it is," said Aisha. "At the end of the day, that's the only truth that matters. This is our reality, whether we like it or not, and we have to deal with it."

"For now," said Tommy softly. "If we defeat Lord Zedd and Rita… if we win this battle, then what?"

"There would be no need for Power Rangers," murmured Kimberly.

"We would go back to the way things were. No more battles, no more monsters…" trailed off Rocky, confused by the words escaping his mouth.

"And what if we don't win?" asked Adam lowly.

"That's not an option," growled Tommy.

"But it is a probable outcome," said Billy firmly. "We need to face the facts. We might not win this last battle. I'm not suggesting that our deaths are imminent or anything, but what if this battle isn't the last one? What if everything doesn't go according to plan?"

Aisha wore an unreadable expression on her face. "We all have futures. We have dreams of our own. If this battle doesn't end at the Lunar Palace…"

"It has to," said Tommy.

"But if it doesn't?" pressed Rocky. His voice was now low as he began to realize the seriousness of that question. He had always thought of being a ranger like an intense extracurricular activity; it would end eventually. Rocky never considered that just because his high school career was coming to an end, his time as a ranger would continue regardless of his plans with his life.

Tommy looked at his friends, aware that they were looking to him for the answer to that question.

"I-I don't know," he admitted softly.

He could tell in their faces that this wasn't the response they wanted to hear.

"But if we do our job right… we won't have to find out."

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**3:11 PM**

"And you're sure no one will find them?" asked Billy.

Alpha 5 nodded. "Yes, Billy. The San Andreas Fault will provide excellent cover for your Ninjazords until we can construct a hangar to hold them."

Billy and the others were in the Command Center, returning to plan out how they would handle the upcoming battle. Zordon was currently hibernating, giving the rangers the opportunity to work without his presence.

"Okay," said Tommy. He pressed several buttons on the console before him, and a map of the universe appeared on the screen.

"Computer, search for Goldar in the universe," said Tommy. The computer beeped several seconds before the words 'NO RESULTS' appeared on the screen.

"I don't think the computer will find him," said Rocky. "Rita made Goldar, probably from dirt or rocks or something like that. Searching for him is like searching for space dust… and since you're looking in space…"

Tommy sighed. Adam walked up behind them. "Try looking for Serpentera."

"Computer, search for Serpentera." The computer beeped several times before the words '1 RESULT FOUND' blinked before them.

"Zoom in."

The computer zoomed in on a planet very far off into space, KO-13.

"Shit," breathed Kim. She pointed at Eltar. "Goldar is almost to Eltar. He should be there in a few days."

Rocky looked over at Tommy. "That gives us a few days - a week, at best - to do something."

Aisha groaned. "Once Goldie figures out we got to Eltar, he's heading straight back for the Lunar Palace. He's going to know we found Ninjor and the temple once he sees the ruins."

Adam looked at her. "Maybe not. The temple is hidden… he might not even find it."

"THE TEMPLE WAS ONLY HIDDEN BY THE POWER OF THE IMANYD SHARD. NOW THAT IT IS GONE ALONG WITH NINJOR, I'M AFRAID HE WILL KNOW IMMEDIATELY."

The teens tensed at their mentor's voice, though none of them turned to face him.

"All right, so where does that leave us?" asked Tommy.

Billy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Goldar's heading straight to the moon once he sees the temple is destroyed. He'll know we were there and get back to Rita and Zedd as fast as Serpentera will allow him."

Tommy peered at the screen. "Then we need to make the most of our time."

Moving away from the computer, Tommy turned to look at his teammates. "We have a few days, maybe a week. I'm not sure if Serpentera can handle light-speed travel."

"IT CANNOT. BUT IT CAN TRAVEL NEARLY AS FAST."

"_Mierda_," swore Rocky softly. "So we need to attack now." The others looked at him. "Guys, Rita and Zedd alone are powerful; do we really wanna fight them and their bat-shit crazy flying monkey man? We need to capitalize on Goldar not being there."

"Rocky's right," said Billy. "This is the most ideal time to make our move. If we wait on them to attack, we are giving them the upper hand. We have to put them on the defensive. Take the control from them."

Tommy shook his head. "I disagree. Although I understand what you guys are saying, we can't just go blindly fighting them at the Lunar Palace. Sure, we'll put them on the defensive, but it's their playing field."

Kim sighed. "We'd be attacking without even knowing what's out there."

"Exactly."

"So what, then?" Rocky asked. "We don't know shit about the Lunar Palace or what type of defense they may have. How are we supposed to get that kind of information?"

"Recon," said Aisha with a smile.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Are you nuts? We can't just waltz up to Rita and Zedd's front door and expect to be able to get around unseen."

"YES, YOU CAN," Zordon interjected. They turned to look at him. "DO YOU NOT POSSESS THE POWER OF INVISIBILITY?"

Rocky grinned. "We do."

"All right," Tommy stated. "Aisha, Adam, and I will do recon at the Lunar Palace this Saturday. It's the best time to do it – their strongest henchman is away from the palace. The rest of you will remain on Earth in case Zedd and Rita decide to send down a monster or something. We will reconvene on Sunday night with what we have and go on from there."

The teens all nodded, gathering their things as they prepared to leave.

"RANGERS," said Zordon. "I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE DECIDED TO STAY AND FIGHT."

Tommy glared at him. "Thank Billy." The Eltarian hid his hurt at Tommy's cold tone.

The white ranger stared at Zordon before his features softened.

"We forgive you, Zordon, all right? We get why you did it, and we know you didn't want us to get hurt." Tommy stepped closer to the energy tube. "But we will not forget."

Silence rang in the Command Center.

"Lie to us again… and we're done."

The leader of the Power Rangers and the Eltarian maintained a heated stare down for several tense seconds.

Zordon looked down at Tommy coolly. "UNDERSTOOD."

The white ranger said nothing before teleporting out of the command center, the others following suit.

Alpha 5 looked up at his friend.

"Well… that went better than I had hoped."


	15. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note:** This chapter will have to tide you all over for a while. Things have picked up at work so I'll be MIA for awhile, plus, I need to start writing more :). Hope you guys like this chapter. Feedback is always appreciated. And once again, all translations are in parentheses. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can._

* * *

**Outside the Lunar Palace**

**Earth's Moon**

**Saturday, Local time unknown**

Adam, Tommy and Aisha materialized on the surface of the moon wearing their power suits. Their Ninjetti robes would be preferable for a recon mission, but their suits afforded them a luxury their robes did not – the ability to breathe in space.

"_All right, let's go invisible now. We don't know how far out their defensive systems go,"_ Tommy said telepathically.

The teens disappeared into the darkness. To the outside world, there was nothing where the teens rested. For the rangers, everything looked different. Going invisible allowed the teens to see everything in energy patterns. The world around them was shades of blue, green, and gray.

The teens moved quickly, careful not to jostle the packs on their backs too much.

Standing at the base of the palace, Tommy pointed at Adam before pointing upward. Nodding, the black ranger moved back several feet before running full speed, jumping high into the air to land softly on the balcony closest to the ground. He searched the premises for any signs of life before opening his pack and grabbing the rope inside. He threw it down, waiting for the tug from Aisha. Quickly, Adam wrapped the cord around his waist and tugged on it, indicating it was safe for her to climb.

Tommy watched from below as Aisha scaled the wall, her small size making it easier for Adam to pull her up. The white ranger waited patiently for the rope to drop down again, and he began to climb of the rocky outside of the palace.

Adam and Aisha grabbed Tommy by his hands, hoisting him over the edge. Adam began pulling up the hanging rope. Tommy looked around. It appeared they were outside the throne room; a large telescope was resting a few feet away from them.

"_So what now?"_ asked Aisha.

"_I think –"_ A sudden noise caused the three teens to freeze. Tommy's eyes widened when he saw a shadow along the wall of the throne room. Two shadows.

"_Adam, hurry up,"_ urged Tommy. The black ranger began doubling his speed, pulling the rope up quickly.

They could hear voices as the shadows grew smaller along the wall. Adam managed to quickly shove the rope into his pack, and the teens froze when two figures appeared.

" – sure this is the best way to handle King Mondo?" asked the large pig looking figure. Aisha grimaced at the sight of the pig in the metallic armor, its snout moving up and down as it spoke.

"Do not call him king, he has long lost that title. And of course I'm sure, Mordant. That idiot Mondo is trying to take over my empire. He already attacked one of the planets and is trying to sway the Natharians to his side, offering them protection he knows he can't guarantee," snarled the red being carrying the large staff.

He looked particularly grotesque, like a large man whose skin had been ripped from his body. He was a walking mass of muscle and tissue. Silver armor encased his body like an exoskeleton, and the visor on his face glowed red menacingly.

"I understand, Lord Zedd. I will get to it right away," snorted Mordant before bowing to his master, scurrying off. Zedd cracked his neck.

"We need new minions," he growled to himself.

Aisha peered at Zedd's staff; the energy readings from it were off the chart.

"_Guys… guys, look. His staff!"_

The two male rangers were surprised by the high level of energy in his 'Z' staff.

"_It looks like it's concentrated," _said Adam._ "It's radiating from one spot."_

"_I wanna get a closer look,"_ Tommy said before getting up. Aisha and Adam reached out, attempting to grab him before he did anything stupid, but barely missed him.

Tommy quietly walked over to Zedd, standing nearly three feet away.

"I know you're there," he hissed. Tommy froze, eyes stretching comically. He didn't dare to breathe.

"Aww, Zeddy… I thought I got you this time." The three teens winced at the high-pitched nasally voice of Rita Repulsa.

"You never learn, Rita. I can always sense you," he sneered. She cackled loudly, wrapping her arms around his midsection. She scratched him lightly with her long black nails. Zedd gave a low growl.

Tommy let out the breath he was holding, nearly reeling from the relief that flooded his system.

"What's wrong? Mordant nearly ran me over in his attempt to get away from you," she purred.

Tommy felt the bile rise in his throat, entirely too close for comfort to the two villains.

"_Tommy!"_ yelled Adam. _"Hurry up and get what you need!"_

The white ranger shook his head, moving softly around the couple to observe Zedd's staff. Tommy leaned in close at spotting something, recognition entering his eyes at the faint blue light.

"_The shard… it's on his staff,"_ said Tommy. The white ranger backed away slowly, pressing his body against the far wall.

"Mondo is moving into our territory. I've never been disrespected in such a way," snarled Zedd. "He needs to learn his place."

Tommy motioned for the two to come over to him, which earned him an incredulous look from Aisha.

"_We need to keep moving. Come on!"_

Keeping an eye on Zedd and Rita, Adam cautiously walked around them to stand next to Tommy. The two boys waved Aisha over.

Swearing mentally, Aisha stealthily moved over to her teammates. At one point, Rita spun around quickly, moving to stand in front of Zedd. Her movement startled the yellow ranger, and Aisha flailed wildly, nearly slamming into the telescope.

Tommy and Adam felt their stomachs drop at the sight, intensely overjoyed when Aisha managed to regain her balance at the last second. As quickly as possible, Aisha scurried over to her teammates.

The three teens made disgusted faces as the two villains engaged in an intense lip lock. They quickly turned away, heading quietly through the throne room and down the corridor.

* * *

**Trini's Room**

**Kwan Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Saturday, 7:54 PM**

The springs of the full-sized bed whined loudly in Trini's room from the rough thrusts of the blue-eyed teen. The moans and whimpers of the occupants grew loudly, reaching an all-time high after the headboard banged savagely against the wall.

A shrill cry of 'Billy' followed by a loud hoarse groan signaled the end of their coupling, and the sandy-haired teen rolled over onto his back, chest glistening from the sweat that gathered there.

Trini lay on her back, eyes closed and face flushed as she attempted to catch her breath. Billy was in a similar condition, chest heaving dramatically as he gulped desperately for air. The silver chain he got from his older brother's passing hung around his neck, shining under the moonlight that peeked in through her window.

Billy climbed out of the bed, grabbing a tissue off the nightstand and peeling off the condom. He cleaned himself off before disposing of the condom in the wastebasket. Trini's eyes traveled over his well-muscled body, a grin spreading across her lips as her eyes landed on his firm ass.

"Not that I mind," she said breathlessly, "but what was that all about?"

Billy turned to look at her before climbing into the bed under the sheets. He pulled her to him, hugging her body to his.

"I missed you while I was away," he said simply.

Trini laughed. "I'll say. I'm gonna have a serious limp tomorrow."

The blue ranger felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment. "I apologize for being so eager."

Trini shook her head. "You kidding me? That was amazing." She looked up at him. "Not that it isn't always amazing, but _that_ was something else."

Billy smiled. "I'm glad that you were so pleased by my performance."

Trini rolled her eyes. "Let's not be cocky."

The blue ranger raised an eyebrow. "Interesting choice of words."

She snorted, slapping him lightly on the chest before resting her head against him. She could feel the slight tremors through his body as he chuckled.

Billy sat silently as Trini rested against him, running a thumb along her upper arm absently.

Trini sighed. "So you gonna tell me or will we be playing the guessing game again tonight?"

He looked down at her. "Sorry, I just- I have a lot on my mind." She lifted her head, sitting up to rest next to him.

She shot him an inquiring gaze. "I'm waiting."

Billy cleared his throat. "Tri, you ever take the time to think about the future? I mean _really_ think about it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I guess I do. Especially since this is our last year before we go off to college." She peered at him. "Is that what has you like this?"

Billy sighed. "I'm not certain about my future."

Trini smiled, knowing it took a lot for Billy to admit he was uncertain about something so important. She ran a hand along his cheek.

"Billy, you're going to one of the best schools in the world next year. MIT is your dream school… always has been, since the day you told me in kindergarten that's where you were going."

He chuckled at that. "You remember that?"

She grinned. "I remember everything about you." She ran a finger over his lips before meeting his blue eyes with her own dark brown ones.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Billy. Your future is brighter than most. You've worked so hard at everything you do... trust me, it'll be fine."

She smiled. "You're even fortunate enough to be going off to college with your best friend. Not many people can travel all the way across the country to a completely new place with a familiar face."

Billy considered. "This is true… and having you up the street at Harvard is a nice bonus."

She shrugged, smiling slyly. "I guess."

Billy rolled his eyes.

"Everything happens for a reason." She kissed him softly on the lips. "That's all you need to keep in mind."

Billy's true concern was about being a Power Ranger in the coming years - not that he could share this with Trini. He understood that he took a vow to protect humanity and all that were threatened by evil, but he didn't feel it was particularly fair to be cheated out of his own happiness. He worked all his life to get into a school like MIT, and even though being a ranger helped make him who he was, it didn't define him. He wanted to be normal… or as normal as life would allow given the circumstances. He wanted to go to college, take hard classes, go out into the real world and make discoveries, maybe even get a Nobel Prize.

Billy just couldn't see himself as the blue ranger much longer, and honestly, he didn't want to be.

Maybe Trini was right. Billy didn't believe in fate or destiny, but he did believe that sometimes things just _happened_. They might not be understood and their intentions not clear, but they had a place and a purpose.

Everything happens for a reason.

Billy looked her in the eyes before smiling brightly. "It's moments like this when I'm reminded how much I love you."

Trini's eyes darkened. "Have I ever told you how incredibly sexy it is when you say stuff like that?"

He grinned. "If I remember correctly, you may have mentioned it once or twice in the past… it's highly probable."

She kissed him, grinning against his lips when his tongue played with hers. Pulling back, Trini pushed on his shoulders, making him lie on his back. She straddled him, running her hand along his chest before trailing them up his arms, pinning him to the bed.

"I want to be on top this time."

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Earth's Moon**

**Saturday, Local time unknown**

"_We're going to die," _Adam said fearfully.

The three teens stood in the corridor frozen, watching as Squatt and Baboo were verbally destroyed by Scorpina. Their way down the corridor was blocked.

"You two are supposed to be looking over the system's defense!" she hissed. The two smaller creatures began to babble incoherently.

"What's the matter, Scorpina?"

The teens jumped at the voice behind them.

Rito Revolto stood behind the rangers, effectively trapping them in the corridor.

"These idiots," she pointed at Squatt and Baboo, "were in the kitchen stuffing their faces instead of overseeing the perimeter security for the last hour."

Rito shot them a hard glare. "Did something happen?"

Scorpina crossed her arms over her chest. "The sensors picked up movement outside of the palace. Something or someone is out there and we need to find them."

Rito shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous, Scorpina. No need to set up a search party. I'm sure it was a stray putty or some lost creature or something."

Scorpina shot him a nasty look. "It was something, Rito. I'm sure of it. Nothing just wanders around out here. It's the moon."

He shot her an equally scathing look. "We're out here, aren't we? It's not that difficult to imagine other creatures may live out here."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "If Goldar were here, he'd take charge and find it himself."

Rito's body went rigid, his expression cold. He stepped closer to Scorpina, forcing the rangers to back away slowly.

"But he's not here, and I trust you remember that."

Everyone in the room, including the rangers, could hear the thinly veiled threat in his words.

Rito turned, knocking on the stone wall to his left. He knocked harder. Tommy felt his pulse quicken as he realized there were only mere inches separating them from Rito and Scorpina. He and the others slid down, reducing the amount of space they took up in the corridor.

"Rita! Open up, I need to talk to you." The teens looked on curiously from the ground.

Rito grunted, running his hand along the wall. "She's probably asleep."

The wall began to shift, splitting in two. Adam bit back a yelp as the wall behind him disappeared and he fell through; fortunately for him, the sound of the shifting walls covered the thud from his body hitting the floor. Tommy quickly grabbed onto a startled Aisha, willing her to keep quiet. Adam lay still on the floor, barely breathing out of fear that he may alert them to his presence.

Rito walked through the doorway, forcing Adam to roll away. The black ranger got to his hands and knees, scurrying across the cold floor as Rito walked behind him.

"Rita! You in here?" Adam sent up a silent thank you at the bed that appeared before him, and he quickly climbed under it.

"Clearly they're not in there, idiot," said Scorpina sharply.

Rito rushed back to her, getting dangerously close to her face. "What did you call me?"

Tommy and Aisha sat on the floor at their feet, watching the altercation closely. Tommy tapped Aisha on her side, pointing to indicate that she needed to go inside the room. The yellow ranger nodded, and Tommy helped her through the doorway unnoticed.

Tommy began to crawl through behind her and nearly fainted when Rito's sword swiped close to his throat. He looked upward, relieved to see this was only the result of Rito turning and not from being discovered.

"You two," said the skeleton, pointing at Squatt and Baboo. "Head back to the security room. If I find you two slacking, I'll kill you myself."

The two nodded before heading down the corridor. Rito turned back to Scorpina. Tommy took this opportunity to climb through the doorway, joining his teammates on the other side.

"As for you," he hissed, grabbing her arm tightly. "Know your place, wench." Scorpina's eyes narrowed. "Goldar isn't here to protect you now," he said before shoving her roughly into the wall.

Rito waved his hand, sealing the wall behind him before taking off down the corridor. He didn't need to turn to know Scorpina was glaring at his back.

Adam crawled from under the expansive bed, climbing to his feet. The bedroom was massive, at least twice the size of the control room in the Command Center. The bed was covered in blood red silk sheets and the walls of the room were jet black. Several pictures and sculptures adorned the room, most of which depicted some cruel act of torture.

"_We need to get out of here,"_ said Tommy. His hands touched the wall they came through. _"Rito sealed us in."_

"_Shit,"_ said Aisha. _"All right… there has to be a window or something, right? Let's look for one."_

The teens searched around the room, hoping for any sign.

"_Guys!"_ yelled Adam. Tommy and Aisha quickly ran to his side, happy to see that Adam discovered a small window on the south end of the bedroom… and something else.

In Adam's hand was a long, black staff with a circular top. Inside of the circle was a red orb, no larger than a fist.

"_Rita's staff?"_ asked Aisha, running her finger along its length.

"_It's radiating energy, just like Zedd's staff,"_ said Tommy.

Adam turned it over, looking for the source of the energy. _"There."_ He pointed at the red orb. Peering closely at the orb, one could faintly make out the faint glow of an Imanyd shard.

Tommy looked at his teammates. _"Okay, so one shard is on Zedd's staff… another on Rita's. We need to find out where the th–"_

The opening of the bedroom door jolted the teens, and they rushed to the window. They could hear the faint voices of Rita and Zedd coming through.

Adam reached for his pack, careful not to make too much noise. Wrapping the rope around his waist, he threw the other end out the window after checking to see if anyone was out there.

Being the smallest, Aisha climbed through the window first, climbing the rope swiftly to the bottom. She gave a tug to indicate they were in the clear.

Tommy climbed through next, having to awkwardly position himself to wiggle through the small window. The white ranger slowly climbed out the window, lowering himself steadily to the ground.

The loud caws of returning Tengu Warriors surprised Tommy, and he lost his footing on the wall. The white ranger felt himself begin to fall down to the surface. Aisha gasped as she saw Tommy let go of the rope.

Tommy grabbed the rope again at the last second, and the sudden pull of his full weight sent Adam crashing into the wall. The black ranger groaned painfully, shaking his head of the slight dizziness he felt.

"Did you hear that?" asked Zedd. Adam felt his stomach drop.

He heard footsteps coming his way, and the black ranger silently willed his leader to hurry up. Feeling the tug around his waist, Adam quickly set about climbing through the window, only to get stuck halfway because of his pack.

Adam tugged furiously on his pack, and it finally was released. The strength of Adam's pull sent both Adam and the pack flying out of the window, and his teammates were frightened to see the black ranger falling towards them, flailing. Although he was falling slower than he would on Earth, he was still moving fast enough to be seriously hurt.

In his panic, Adam lost his concentration, and his black power suit suddenly became visible.

"_Adam, concentrate!" _yelled Tommy. The white ranger was relieved to see the black power suit disappear but was more afraid the damage had already been done.

Aisha rushed over, catching Adam before he hit the ground. Aisha took the brunt of the fall, having used her animal spirit to catch him.

"_Aisha, I could kiss you,"_ he said happily in her arms. She let him down.

"_Don't let Rocky hear you say that."_

Tommy looked around anxiously. They had no way of knowing if they had been seen or not. Looking around, Tommy noticed they were at the back of the Lunar Palace, and a large hole was only a few feet away. It appeared to be the entrance to a cave.

He turned to look at his friends. _"We're going inside, but we need to be quick. No telling if they know we're here or not."_

Running over to the cave, the rangers grimaced at the sudden pungent odor. At the base of the cave were six smaller holes, each with some type of liquid or sludge flowing out of it. Higher up were vents, each leading to a different part of the palace.

Tommy closed his eyes, using his falcon senses to heighten his hearing. He could hear the sounds of Zedd and Rita in their bedroom doing something that absolutely repulsed him. He could hear the Tengu Warriors squawking in the chambers. He could hear Rito snoring loudly, and the harsh sound made him wince.

"_What are you doing?"_ asked Aisha.

"_Squatt and Baboo are in the control room. Those two are too stupid to be quiet… I'm trying to find them."_

Tommy smiled when he heard the chuckles of the two in question. He pointed up to his right.

"_Over there."_ There were two vents in that area.

Quickly, Adam jumped up, grabbing onto the bars of the first vent. Peering inside, he grimaced. _"Oh, god_ …_"_

"_What is it?"_ asked Tommy.

"_I think this is where they keep prisoners. So many people are down there…"_

The white and yellow rangers looked at each other before Tommy shook his head.

"_This isn't a rescue mission; this is recon. When we come back to fight… we'll free them then."_

Adam climbed over to the next vent. _"I hear Squatt,"_ he said. _"The vent is pretty big. I think we can all fit."_

Summoning his strength, Adam yanked the metal bars off the vent and pulled himself up. Once inside, the black ranger stuck a hand out, indicating the next person should go up.

Tommy and Aisha looked at the wall of the cave. It was rocky enough to climb up on their own.

Tommy reached the vent first, having longer limbs than Aisha. Adam helped pull him inside, and the two then reached out, pulling the small yellow ranger in as well.

"_When we get in, we are not killing anyone. We don't want them to know we were ever here," _said the long-haired teen.

The teens climbed through the vent, heading towards the yellow light at the end. Adam pressed his face against the bars, looking around the room.

"_I don't see anyone. It's mostly just a bunch of steam. Like a boiler room."_

Tommy's eyes were closed, ears turned towards the room. _"I don't hear anything."_

Adam took a deep breath. _"All right, here we go."_

The black ranger pushed against the bars, popping off the last barrier between them and the room. He stuck his head out, seeing no one in the immediate vicinity.

"_Holy shit, we're high up,"_ he gasped. Adam looked around the room. It was several stories high and most likely spanned the entire width of the palace.

Adam's brown eyes searched across the massive room.

"_Guys… we have a major problem."_

_

* * *

_

**Dining Room**

**Hart Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Saturday, 8:13 PM**

"So, Kimberly, your mother tells me you spent your spring break in Sydney. How was that?"

The pink ranger lazily rolled a green pea around her plate. Even though she was physically in her dining room, mentally, Kimberly was miles away. Her mind was on the moon.

"Kimberly?" The young girl jolted out of her stupor at her mother's sharp tone, and she blushed under her gaze.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

Although she understood the necessity of the reconnaissance mission, Kimberly was highly unnerved that three of the people closest to her were running around the palace of two of the most notorious villains of the universe.

The man gave a light chuckle. "It's quite all right. She's simply tired, Caroline. Traveling around the world can take a lot out of you."

Kimberly inwardly rolled her eyes. _'Try teleporting into another galaxy, buddy.'_

"You're probably right, Pierre." Caroline turned to look at her daughter. "Kim, would you like to be excused?"

Kim felt guilty, knowing her mom's new boyfriend was simply trying to make conversation, but she really didn't want to talk to him.

"No mom, I'm fine, really. And to answer your question, Pierre, Sydney was lovely. We all really enjoyed the trip."

Pierre smiled. "That's great to hear. I have been there only once. Most of my time is spent in Europe but occasionally, I am able to fly to other interesting places."

Kim nodded absently, struggling not to lose focus. His French accent was so strong and somewhat soothing to her ears, as if lulling her to sleep.

She blinked rapidly when she realized he was still talking, and she didn't miss the look her mom sent her way. Caroline raised an eyebrow in question.

Kim faked a yawn, covering her mouth. "I'm sorry, Pierre. That was incredibly rude, but I think my mom was right. I think I need to be excused." Kim put on her best sleep-deprived face.

"You poor girl," said Pierre. "You look exhausted." She nodded slowly.

"Kim, go put away your dishes and then head straight to bed. I don't want you up any longer than necessary," said her mother firmly.

The petite teen stood, taking her plate and cup with her. Scraping off the remains of her food in the trash, she returned to the sink. Grabbing a sponge and dish soap, Kimberly turned on the hot water and set about washing her dishes.

She looked out the window in the kitchen; the moon was large and incredibly bright.

Kimberly knew her friends were fully capable of carrying out the recon mission. They were all highly skilled and intelligent; there was no need to worry.

She bit her lip.

On the other hand, they were pretty much knocking on Evil's door. Kim wasn't even sure one could call it that… they didn't even have to decency to knock, opting to sneak in and gather information on the enemy.

Kim groaned to herself.

They were doomed.

'_Please be safe, you guys,'_ she thought worriedly.

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Earth's Moon**

**Local time unknown**

"_So now what?"_ Adam asked.

The three teens had managed to climb down from their high perch, hiding in the shadows of the room.

"_This place is too big. I don't even know where we'd start," _Tommy admitted. He sighed. _"We need some type of map or something."_

Aisha suddenly got up, calling upon her mace. Tommy and Adam watched in horror as Aisha began to slam her weapon into one of the pipes. She hammered the pipe repeatedly until it burst open, steam spewing everywhere.

She raised her mace to another pipe before Tommy rushed her, tackling her to the ground.

"_What the hell are you doing?"_ he asked.

"_You guys are right. This place is too big for us to wander on our own."_

"_So you're going to beat it to death? You realize someone can hear us?"_ asked Adam.

"_That's the point."_ Aisha pushed Tommy off of her. _"This place has too much importance and is entirely too complicated to be run with no one around. There have to be maintenance people or engineers on standby."_

Tommy nodded in understanding. _"So… if there's a problem, they would be the first ones on the scene."_

"_And with how big this place is… they'd need a schematic to get anything done," said_ Adam.

Aisha picked up her mace. _"Exactly."_

_

* * *

_

**Family Room**

**Desantos Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**9:04 PM**

"Lisa, you finish your homework?" asked Rocky. He stood in the small kitchen, a 'Kiss the Cook' apron tied around his waist.

The little girl rolled her eyes, bringing her dish to the sink. "Yes, Rocky, but you _do_ realize it's a Saturday, right?" Her brother continued to look at her and the ten-year-old sighed in defeat. "All my work is done and now I'm going to go shower."

"_Bueno_," he said before bending down to place a sloppy kiss on her cheek. The girl gave a small shriek, shoving her brother away from her. Rocky laughed as she wiped her cheek. (Good)

"Tony!" he yelled loudly. A small boy with curly hair ran into the kitchen, looking at Rocky questioningly.

"Put your math homework on the table. I want to take a look at it before you go to bed."

"Okay," the ten-year-old said before running off.

Rocky turned back to washing the dishes, scrubbing at a plate with a particularly tough stain. He felt small arms wrap around his right leg, and he smiled down at his youngest sibling.

"Ah, _mi princesa_!" he said loudly, quickly drying his hands before picking up the five-year-old. (my princess)

"_Como estas, pequeña_?" he asked. She rested her head on his shoulder. (How are you, little one?)

"_Estoy cansada_," said the little girl. (I'm sleepy)

"Ahh, Adriana… _creo que es hora de ir a la cama_…" She nodded, wrapping her little arms around his neck. (I think it's time to go to bed).

Rocky walked with her through the living room, picking up one of the toys on the floor and chucking it softly at his brothers who were watching. The two turned to look at him.

"Antonio, Ramón. _Limpio esto ahora… mami estará aquí pronto_…" he whispered harshly. The two boys moved quickly to straighten up. (Clean this up now. Mom will be here anytime soon)

"Hey," said Rocky grabbing onto the back of Antonio's shirt as he passed him. "Homework. On the table. Now." The boy pouted before running to get his homework.

"Ramón, can you please check on Lisa for me? She likes to pretend she's gone to bed, but I know she stays up on the phone with her friends."

The twelve-year-old nodded, running up the stairs to check on his younger sister. The yelling Rocky heard from upstairs was all the confirmation he needed to tell him his suspicions were correct.

Seeing Antonio put his homework on the table, Rocky pointed up the stairs. "Go take a shower. Put your clothes out for tomorrow, and I'll iron them in the morning."

The little boy ran to his room, laughing at the argument between his brother and twin sister that was still ongoing in her room.

The front door to the house opened to Xavier and Giselle walking in. Rocky took one look at them and could tell something was wrong.

"What happened?"

Giselle rolled her eyes. "I was just hanging out with some friends after the movies and Xavier decided to go _psicótico_, threatening people." (psychotic)

Xavier scoffed. "She was kissing a boy."

Rocky's eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "_¡Dios mío_… I can't deal with this right now. Look, did you two eat?" They both nodded. "All right, help me get the house cleaned up for mom. I'm going to go put Adriana in her bed. Try not to kill each other while I'm gone." (My God)

He shook his head, walking up the stairs to put his youngest sibling back in bed. Once she was finally asleep, Rocky headed to Lisa and Giselle's room where his siblings were still fighting.

"Go to bed, Lisa. Ramón, make sure Tony heads straight to bed once he gets out the shower." The young boy left the room. Rocky turned back to his sister. "If I come back here and see you on the phone, I'm throwing it out the window."

Lisa's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

He sneered. "Watch me."

The girl stared at the phone in her hand, and then looked at her brother. She rolled her eyes. "You suck."

He shrugged, closing the door and heading back downstairs.

Once downstairs, Rocky smiled, glad to see the house in somewhat decent order. Giselle was picking up the last of the toys while Xavier swept the floor. Rocky went back to washing dishes.

After some time, Rocky realized the house was eerily quiet. He looked out in the living room – both Giselle and Xavier were gone, presumably to bed.

Rocky put the last of the dishes on the rack, drying his hands off before sitting down at the table. He looked down at his brother's work, smiling as he realized that Antonio did most of it correct. Rocky circled two problems with a pencil. He wouldn't wake him up to do it now; the assignment was due Monday, leaving him all day tomorrow to do his homework after they attended Mass in the morning.

Rocky looked out the window of the kitchen, his body tensing slightly as he caught sight of the moon. Tommy had instructed him to head to the Lunar Palace if he hadn't heard back from them by midnight. If something happened to Aisha…

The red ranger nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt warm hands on his shoulders. Soft laughter reached his ears, and he smiled as he turned to look at his mother.

"_Hola, mamí,_" he said softly, standing to kiss her on the cheek.

"_Hola, Roberto_," she said tiredly.

Maria Desantos was the only person to ever call him by his actual first name. He preferred Rocky, but he always let his mother call him Roberto.

"_Hay comida en la estufa para que usted," _he told her. "_Hice tu comida favorita, pozole_." (There's food for you on the stove. I made your favorite, pozole)

She smiled at him, running a hand along his cheek. "_Gracias, mi hijo. Alguien despierto_?" (Thank you, son. Anyone awake?)

"_No. Soló me. Te esperé para que podamos comer juntos_." (No. Only me. I waited for you so we can eat together)

Maria smiled at her son. "_Espero que sepas lo mucho te quiero_." (I hope you know how much I love you)

Rocky grinned, sitting down in a chair at the table.

"_Sé. Ahora vamos a comer, me muero de hambre. Hice tostadas que he estado muriendo a comer toda la noche_." (I know. Now let's eat, I'm starving. I made tostadas that I've been dying to eat all night)

She laughed at him as she took the seat directly across from him. "_Bueno, yo también_." (Good, me too)

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Earth's Moon**

**Local time unknown**

"Oh, this simply will not do," said Finster, shaking his head sadly.

He had been alarmed when the sensors told him the pipes had burst. There was no real reason for them to suddenly explode; it was all so random.

Sighing, he pulled out the blueprints from his pocket, pushing his glasses up the rim of his nose. Finster appeared to be a feeble creature, somewhat soft-spoken. He was possibly one of the smartest creatures in the galaxy, and it was his love for Rita and fear of Lord Zedd that placed him on the side of Evil.

"These pipes run to the dungeons, kitchens, and… oh my, the master bedroom." He wrung his hands.

"You two," he pointed at two putties. "Bring me some clay from my lab at once. These pipes must be fixed immediately. The putties mumbled incoherently before slinking off.

Finster turned away, running a hand along his chin. "This does not make any sense. These pipes were designed to handle high pressure; I created them. And even more to the point, nothing inside these pipes would create enough pressure to break them."

"Our Empress will not be pleased to find her chief engineer has failed at his job," hissed a low voice.

Finster jumped, laughing softly when he realized it was Scorpina. "There's no need to alert Rita, Scorpina. It is being taken care of as we speak."

Scorpina moved closely to the pipes, examining them curiously.

"How is it you believe these pipes broke?" She ran a long finger along where the pipe broke.

Finster shrugged. "High pressure? Corrosion? I'm not quite sure. The concoction I made for these pipes should have given them an infinite lifespan."

Scorpina's eyes narrowed at the markings along the pipe; they were the same markings left on armor after a battle.

It looked as if something struck the pipes repeatedly.

Her eyes refocused on Finster when she noticed he was searching for something.

"What is it?"

Finster scratched his head. "I cannot find the blueprints… I could've sworn I put them right here." The small white creature frowned. "No worries, I will simply retrieve another. Excuse me."

Scorpina watched Finster leave, her eyes searching the room quickly. She was now more convinced than ever that someone was here.

Far above Scorpina's head, the bars were replaced on the vent to the boiler room, and the last few feet of rope pulled through.

Tommy led the others through the vents, relieved when they made it back to the cave. Jumping down, Tommy held the blueprints of the Lunar Palace in his hand. Aisha landed beside him, followed by Adam. The black ranger grabbed the bars he had ripped off earlier from the ground, jumping back up to place them back over the entrance to the vent.

"_We got what we need. Now we need to get the hell out of here,"_ said Aisha.

"_But what about the third shard?"_ asked Adam. _"We only know where two of them are."_

Tommy studied his friend for a second before shaking his head. _"We'll have to worry about that when the time comes. Right now, we need to head back to the landing point with these blueprints. Alpha can't teleport us out if we're too close to the palace."_ He placed the blueprints in his suit.

The teens took off, running as fast as they could away from the palace.

"Alpha, come in!" said Tommy breathlessly in his communicator.

"I read you."

"We're approaching the landing point. Prepare for teleport."

There was a pause. "Beams are ready. Standby for teleport."

Back in the Lunar Palace, Scorpina stood behind Squatt and Baboo, eyes scouring the screens. There was nothing unusual, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was happening.

"See, Scorpina? We told you we had it handled," said Squatt. Baboo vigorously nodded his agreement.

Scorpina turned her gaze to them, opening her mouth to give a scathing remark to the ugly creatures.

She didn't see the faint blue light that flashed suddenly on the screen in the far corner.

* * *

_Once again, thank you to everyone that has reviewed this fic. I'm glad so many of you are enjoying it, and it's really encouraging. I'm somewhat sad as it is coming to a close, but I have some other ideas in the works as well. ;)_


	16. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note:** Aaaand here we go! Chapter 15 is now up for your reading pleasure. Chapter 16 is done and will be posted in a few days. The Invasion of the Lunar Palace will start in Chapter 17. This chapter as well as the next are character-driven, focusing on them in the days before the invasion. I wanted to flesh them out a bit more before all hell breaks loose._

_Please read and review. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks again to my WONDERFUL beta reader psycochick for doing this for me. You're awesome! :D_

* * *

**Park Residence**

**Adam's Room**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Tuesday, 4:07 PM**

Kim bit her lip as her eyes moved from side to side.

"That one," she said finally, pointing to the shirt in Adam's right hand.

The black ranger slipped on the black polo shirt over his white sleeveless tee.

Adam was getting ready for his night with Tanya. The two were headed to the cinema to see _Die Hard: With a Vengeance_. Adam had been surprised when he got back home after the recon mission to find out Tanya had called him. He called her back immediately to set up their 'friendly outing'.

"Okay," he said looking around. "Shoes."

When Adam told Kim about his 'not date' with Tanya, she set aside time after school to take him to the mall. Adam generally hated going to the mall with Kim and Aisha, but he couldn't help but feel giddy at getting ready for his date.

"The white and black Adidas will look nice," she said after surveying his outfit.

Adam was wearing a black polo shirt, black and white plaid shorts with a black belt, and black ankle socks. He slipped on the new shoes he bought earlier that day and Kim squealed. "Adam! You look hot! And the haircut was definitely a good move!" she yelled excitedly.

Adam laughed at her enthusiasm. He had to admit he liked how he looked in the mirror.

Kim moved over to his dresser. "Okay, so we have your necklace, your watch… oh! Your earring, can't forget that…"

Adam looked up at her as he finished tying his shoes. "So, when are you going to cut the bull and talk to Tommy?" he asked quietly.

He saw her back tense up. "We are talking… just not as much as before."

Adam sighed, rising to his feet. He placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him.

"I know you, Kim. Don't insult my intelligence." He gave her a piercing stare.

She met his gaze before rolling her eyes. "We'll start talking once he stops being an asshole."

Adam shook his head, moving to the side of her to put on his jewelry. "You know he's just trying to keep you safe, right?"

Kim scoffed. "I don't need his protection. I know that, he knows that… _everyone_ knows that!"

Adam put up his hands defensively, silver South Korean coat of arms pendant contrasting brightly against his shirt. "Hey, I'm not saying I agree with his decision… just that I understand why he made that choice."

She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting slightly. "Whatever."

Adam laughed. "Real mature." He glanced at his watch. "All right, let's move. I have to drop you off before picking up Tanya. I want to make a good impression by being early."

He grabbed his keys off his desk, heading downstairs with Kim behind him.

* * *

**Angel Grove Animal Clinic**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**4:19 PM**

"You're really good with him."

Rocky turned to look at Aisha with a wide grin before turning back to the kitten in his arms.

Three weeks ago, a stray California Spangled cat that was very ill and pregnant was brought to the clinic. She gave birth to two babies after two weeks before passing due to complications. One of them was very weak when born and was put in Aisha's care until they could find him a home.

"It's pretty easy once you've helped raise a few kids on your own," said the red ranger as he stroked the kitten's head.

Aisha walked up to the pair. "How are you doing today, Meiko? You're looking better," she said happily.

The kitten's small paws were holding on to Rocky's large hand, its eyes looking up at him unblinkingly as it continued to feed from the bottle.

"He's been really good today. Opened his eyes for the first time this afternoon," said Rocky. Aisha tickled the kitten's foot and it moved slightly in response.

"His muscles seem firmer," she noted, running a finger along Meiko's body. "Any movement on his own?"

Rocky nodded. "Yeah. If you play with him, he sorta kicks and tries to scratch at you a bit. Can't exactly walk on his own yet but he's getting there. He's not responding as fast as a normal baby but a lot faster than we thought."

Rocky and Aisha had been working at the Animal Clinic since they were fourteen. Aisha had always wanted to be a veterinarian, so working at the clinic was the best possible job for her. Rocky wasn't as passionate about animals as she was, but his mother refused to let him stay at home after school and signed him up to work for the clinic shortly after learning that Aisha had. Although now with sports, Rocky was unable to work as often as before, he still came around to help Aisha from time to time.

Rocky noted the tired expression on her face. "Hard day?"

She shook her head. "Just busy. I had to go check on the rabbits today."

Rocky grimaced. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't that bad. At least only the male rabbits escaped this time."

Seeing that Meiko was finished with the bottle, Rocky put the kitten back into his crate. "So what are you doing tonight?" he asked suddenly.

"Well, after this, I'm heading to meet with Billy. Then homework. This week is pretty much shot for me."

He frowned. "Oh."

Noticing his expression, Aisha walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm free Friday night, though." Her hands played with his belt loop.

Rocky looked down at her with a smile. "Really now?"

She nodded. "Mmhmm. Which means if someone… I don't know, maybe my boyfriend…."

He raised an eyebrow. "_Maybe_ your boyfriend?"

"…wanted to take me out somewhere that night, I'd be free. And all his."

Rocky smiled down at her. "I like the sound of that."

"Good," she said, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him. He deepened the kiss, tugging her closer by wrapping his arms around her waist.

Aisha pulled back slightly, glancing at the clock on the wall before smiling up at Rocky. "I'm so lucky to have a boyfriend who's as funny as you." She kissed him again.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"And charming…" Another kiss before Rocky nodded.

"And helpful…"

Rocky grinned before feeling her lips press against his again softly. "I'm all that and more," he said huskily.

Aisha smiled against his lips. "I know…which is why you're going to be the best boyfriend ever by doing this small thing for me."

He pulled her closer. "I'd do anything for you." The way he said the words sent a chill up her spine.

"Good," she said happily as she kissed him hard on the mouth. "I'll tell Dr. Nelson you'll clean the dog cages since I have to leave early."

She kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best!"

Rocky watched Aisha scamper off, eyes focused on how snugly her jeans encased her ass.

His face scrunched up in confusion as her last words finally registered in his head, but by now, the yellow ranger was long gone.

"Wait… _what_?"

* * *

**Adam's Jeep Cherokee**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**4:24 PM**

"So, no fancy place like Chez Michel?" asked Adam.

Kim shook her head. "Nope. You guys are just friends. No fancy restaurants."

"So McDonald's will do?"

Kim sighed. "Adam, you can't take her to a burger joint either."

He huffed loudly."Women are so confusing sometimes."

Kim laughed. "No… guys are just dumb."

He turned the jeep along the curve. "Shut up."

She snickered before becoming serious. "Okay, how about just letting Tanya decide on where to eat?"

Adam considered this. "That would make it a _lot_ easier. If she decides, then it won't seem like I'm trying to make this into a date."

"Exactly," said Kim.

"Should I pay for her food?"

Kim pondered his question. "Well, if it were a date, I'd definitely say 'yeah'. But it's not a date, which technically means she should pay for it herself… but then again, it's a nice gesture."

"How about I just pay for it and tell her she can pay me back next time we go out?"

Kim looked at Adam with a pleased expression. "I like that. Already planning for a next time?" she teased.

Adam's ears burned red. "If everything goes well."

He pulled up in front of Kim's house. "Got everything? I know I didn't give you a lot of time to pack up before taking you home."

She chuckled. "I'm good. You need to concentrate on your night with Tanya."

Kim got out of the jeep, grabbing her backpack and two bags of clothes she bought from the mall. She walked around, coming to stand by the driver's window. "Here," she said, reaching into her pocket before pulling out a pack of gum and handing him two pieces.

Adam's eyes widened in panic. "My breath smells?"

She shook her head. "No. But you're going to the movies, right? Candy, popcorn? And after that you're going to get food. Just in case."

He nodded, slipping the gum into his pocket. "Any last words of advice for me?"

"Be yourself. And breathe. You have nothing to worry about, Adam. You're a great guy," she said sincerely.

"Thanks," he said with a wide smile.

"Now, go on. Tanya's waiting." Kim leaned through the window, placing a loud, wet smack on the side of his face. She laughed when she saw Adam's displeased expression as he wiped his face.

"Don't embarrass me," she said, schooling her face into a glare.

He laughed. "I'll try not to. Expect a call around ten o'clock."

"I'll be waiting patiently," she said before heading to her front door.

As Adam watched Kim walk to her house, he caught sight of something through the window of her living room that surprised him…

Sitting on the couch was none other than Tommy Oliver. It was difficult to make out his face with the curtains in the way, but Adam knew his friend well enough to know it was him in Kim's living room.

Tommy must have walked to her house from his; his truck was nowhere in sight. Adam was sure if Kim had seen the white Ford F-150 in her driveway, she would have made him drive her straight to Trini's or Aisha's place.

Kimberly waved at Adam from her front porch, and he waved back weakly.

"She has no idea…" he said softly.

Adam pulled off once he saw Kim walk through the front door. He wondered briefly if Ms. Hart had any idea that World War III was about to take place in her house.

* * *

**Hart Residence**

**Dining Room**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**6:26 PM**

"Thank you for letting me have dinner here, Ms. Hart."

Caroline Hart waved a hand dismissively at Tommy. "Please, Tommy. You know you're always welcome here."

The long-haired teen smiled widely at her.

Kimberly said nothing as she moved her mashed potatoes around her plate listlessly, her irritation with her boyfriend growing with each passing second.

"So, Tommy, I hear you are into martial arts?" asked Pierre.

The white ranger nodded. "Yes. I've been studying various styles of martial arts since I was little."

"Ah… what sparked your interest?" asked the painter curiously.

Tommy gave a wistful smile. "My grandfather realized I was having some behavioral problems as a kid. He introduced karate to me as a way of discipline."

"So you can break one of those boards with your hand?" asked Pierre excitedly.

Tommy laughed. "Sure can."

'_Why are you here?_' came Kim's voice in his head.

'_Why do you think?_' Tommy asked with equal irritation.

'_Now really isn't the time to be a smart ass. You know I'm upset with you.'_

Tommy fought the urge to roll his eyes. '_I know that, and I want to talk to you. Alone.'_

'_There's nothing to talk about.'_

Tommy glared at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Pierre, Tommy was accepted into MIT," said Caroline with a wide smile.

Pierre's eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "Did you accept the offer?"

Tommy nodded. "Yes, I did. I'll be going there in the fall with my best friend."

Pierre grinned. "That is absolutely wonderful." He turned to Kim. "Keep a hold of this one, Kimberly."

Tommy smiled smugly in her direction.

'_Wipe that smile off your face. You're still in the doghouse.'_

Tommy's smile faltered slightly. _'Look, I don't want to argue with you, beautiful. Can we just talk? Please.'_

'_After dinner,' _she said after some time.

"I don't have any plans on letting him go anytime soon," said Kim.

She didn't miss when the first genuine smile of the night finally appeared on Tommy's face.

* * *

**Weapons Room**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**7:02 PM**

"Can you hand me the big screwdriver?"

"Phillips or flathead?"

"Phillips."

Billy reached to his left, grasping the red handle before spinning the tool around and handing it to Aisha.

"Thanks."

The blue ranger was repairing the damage done to Aisha's mace in the recon mission.

"I'm going to put your mace in the MRC. Hopefully that will solve the problem if it's in there for a few hours." MRC stood for metal rehabilitation chamber, a gift from the people of KO-35 when the rangers saved them from Rygog.

"Hopefully that does the trick," she mumbled before returning to the work at hand.

Billy fixed the settings on the MRC before heading over to Aisha.

He lifted one of the charges she was working on, observing it closely before letting out a low whistle.

"These are quite powerful, 'Sha. Enough to blow a huge crater into the moon. You sure this is absolutely necessary?"

The yellow ranger wiped her brow before pointing to the MRC. "You see what those pipes did to my mace? We're not dealing with ordinary metal here, Billy. That shit was incredibly strong."

He nodded. "Agreed. How do you know this will work?"

She finished tightening the last screw before setting down the device.

"I went to Alpha after the mission. Did a scan on the residue found on my mace." She lifted a charge. "An analysis on the chemical composition of the pipe material gave an estimate of how much energy would be needed to break the pipe for any desired thickness."

Billy nodded. "Impressive."

She smiled. "Thanks. It was the only thing I could think of to even know where to start on these damn things. Hopefully this will work."

The blue ranger sighed. "My sentiments exactly. I've been doing repairs on everyone's weapons, both primary and secondary. Everything appears to be in order."

"Good," she said. "What else is left?"

Billy ran a hand along his jaw. "The zords. Basically, we need to run a few tests on the Ninjazords, make sure they're still operational. They're new to us, but we have no idea how long ago Ninjor made them or if being locked away in the San Andreas Fault caused damage."

Billy ran a hand over his face tiredly. "What's the timer on the charges?"

She shrugged. "Three minutes? Seems like enough time to get out of the boiler room."

"Let's hope so."

Aisha observed her friend quietly. "How are you feeling about this mission?"

"Hopeful."

"That we will save the universe? Or that this will be the end of our ranger days?"

Billy gave a soft smile. "Aren't they one in the same?"

She considered this. "Yeah, I guess."

"You seem sad," he pointed out.

"I'm not sure if 'sad' is the right word," she admitted. "It's a combination of anxiety and hesitation."

At his confused expression, she elaborated.

"I'm not a fan of many of the things I went through as a ranger; I mean, I nearly died several times. But I will miss working side by side with my closest friends and the action… the adrenaline. It'll be weird to just be _normal_. Knowing what we know… about aliens and magic and the war… not really sure I know how to be normal anymore or what that even means."

Billy looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"But at the same time, I'm not sure I want to keep doing this forever: to live almost in a constant state of red alert. I want to go to college, live out my dream and become a veterinarian. I want to travel the world and have a family one day. I know I can't do that while being a ranger, so even though the door to a defining part of my life is about to close, another is about to open. It's scary and exciting at the same time."

Billy nodded. "I understand. I feel the same. I know I would not be the person I am today if it had not been for my experience as a ranger, and for that I am grateful. But I am ready for the next stage of my life to begin and for this to come to an end."

Billy walked over to the east wall of the Weapons Room, removing one of his broadswords from its perch and twirling it around skillfully.

"If all goes well, our upcoming battle will make this a reality."

* * *

**Angel Grove Park**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**7:23 PM**

Tommy sat in silence in the passenger side of Kim's Nissan as they looked out over the lake. They had been sitting there for nearly fifteen minutes, and he could tell from Kim's body language she was about to snap.

"You kept saying you want to talk, so talk already."

Tommy turned to look at her. "I'm sorry."

"_From what I understand, the Lunar Palace derives its energy from the core of the moon," Billy said, pointing at the blueprint projected on the screen. "From this schematic, it would appear that the palace uses that thermal energy and converts it."_

_He pointed at three identical circles on the diagram. "These three structures are connected to the core by way of a large chamber, all of which are connected through an intricate piping system. I'm guessing this is where the energy conversion takes place." _

_He pointed at the large octagonal chamber. "My hypothesis is that this chamber is filled with dilithium. If this schematic and what you guys told us from your recon mission is any indication, an enormous power source is needed in order to keep the Lunar Palace running._

"_It would make sense for this chamber to be linked to the core. The heat coming from the core of the moon should theoretically be strong enough to break the bonds of the dilithium, which would then allow for a long-lasting energy source._

"_That energy could then be channeled to operate the three chambers here," he said pointing._

"_Any thoughts on what could be in those smaller chambers?" asked Rocky._

_Billy scanned the schematic quickly. "Although they are aliens, their anatomy is strikingly similar to ours, so I would assume they would have similar needs in terms of food and water. Two of these chambers might be for that."_

_He pointed at the chamber in the middle. "This chamber has the most connections to it that involve circuitry, and is directly connected to their surveillance room. I believe this one controls their electricity._

"_Rita and Zedd have access to very advanced technology, so there is a chance that my assumptions are incorrect. They have conquered many planets across the galaxy, and we have no way of knowing what type of technology they may possess. Coupled with the intellect of Finster… I do not know for sure."_

_Aisha sat with her arms crossed. "I don't think it matters." She stood, looking at the schematic. "Regardless of whether or not we know what's in the chambers, the fact still remains that the Lunar Palace is connected to the core of the moon by way of these chambers."_

"_True," agreed the blue ranger._

"_And severing that connection should weaken Rita and Zedd considerably," Adam finished._

"_Yes."_

"_So how exactly are we going to do that? The moon is important to the Earth as well. We can't blow up the core," said Rocky._

"_No… but we can take out these chambers," said Kim. "The core can be left intact, untouched really. But if we take out these pipes and the chambers, it should do the trick."_

_Billy cleared his throat. "I would caution blowing up the main chamber." The others looked at him. "If I am right, and dilithium is inside, or any other large power source, creating an explosion could do more harm than good. We have no way of knowing how whatever is inside will react."_

_Adam ran a hand over his face. "The same could be said for the other chambers."_

"_So don't blow up the chamber. Just the pipes." Tommy pointed at the schematic. "If we put charges along the pipes, it should still be fine. Granted, we don't know how it would affect the pipes either, but we're going to have to risk it."_

"_Question," said Rocky. "How the hell are we going to get charges on the pipes? The Lunar Palace is massive and there's security everywhere. We can't do the entire mission invisible – after too long, the strain would kill us."_

_Kim nodded. "And what about the prisoners? We don't want to kill them when we blow up the pipes. Aisha said it took a while to break through the pipes with her mace, which means we would need some pretty strong explosives to sever the pipes."_

_Tommy wore a grim expression. "We're going to have to split up into teams."_

"_Mierda," swore Rocky. (Shit)_

_Tommy sighed. "I don't like it either, but it would be most effective." Tommy pointed at the schematic. "One team needs to get the prisoners out… before we set the charges. Another teams needs to disarm the defensive system. And a third team needs to scout out the third shard and take out any enemies."_

"_How are we dividing the teams?" asked Aisha._

_Tommy tucked his bottom lip between his teeth as he thought how to answer the question. "Billy will be on Team Beta. That's the team that will be going for the security system. And each team should have someone who went on the recon mission as they are more familiar with the layout of the palace._

"_So I want Adam with Billy, Aisha with Rocky to free the prisoners, and Kim with me for the third shard."_

"_Say what?" asked Rocky. Everyone looked at each other in confusion._

"_Tommy, are you sure that's how you want to split the teams?" asked Billy. The white ranger nodded._

_Kim caught Billy's bemused expression, and he merely shrugged._

_The choice in teams made no sense. It should've been Aisha with Billy, Rocky with Tommy, and Kim with Adam. Aisha and Billy were the best with telecommunications and technology, so they would be the logical choice to send to disarm the Lunar Palace defensive system. Tommy and Adam were the strongest fighters on the team, but given that Adam was on recon, Rocky would replace him to find the third shard and take out anyone they found in the palace. Kim and Adam worked well together due to their close friendship, and given their compassionate nature, would best be able to handle freeing frightened prisoners._

"_Tommy," said Adam after a pregnant pause. "I'm not trying to question your leadership or anything but…"_

"_But _what_?"_

_The sharp tone in his voice made Adam flinch._

_Kim glared at Tommy. "Don't get an attitude with Adam. He's just asking a question. A legitimate one at that."_

"_I don't have an attitude, Kimberly. This is how I want to split the teams – I think it's the best way to go about the mission. Rocky?"_

_The red ranger's eyes widened. He looked from Tommy to Kimberly several times before his eyes traveled to Aisha. "You're the boss."_

_Kim rolled her eyes._

"_The discussion is closed." The finality of Tommy's words discouraged the rangers from protesting._

_All but Kimberly._

_She stood still as a statue, observing Tommy, whose gaze was now fixated on the blueprints. _

"_What the hell is your problem, Tommy?"_

_The others paused, looking between the pink and white rangers._

"_Excuse me?" he asked, turning to face her._

"_You know the teams don't make sense, Tommy. Aisha and Billy should be disabling the system at the palace. Adam is not nearly as skilled with electronics as Aisha. You also know Rocky should be with you if you're going to be taking out enemies. He's a better fighter than I am."_

_Tommy merely looked at her. "Clearly Rocky didn't have a problem with my decision since he agreed."_

_Kim threw up her hands. "Rocky's not going to disagree with you! You're putting him with Aisha!"_

_He ignored her comment. "A change in teams is good for us. We need to learn how to work with others."_

_Kim's faced scrunched up in confusion. "You're not that thick, Tommy. And I don't appreciate my intelligence being insulted."_

"_How am I doing that?" he asked._

"_By giving me these stupid reasons for why you switched the teams. This isn't a field test. This is our last mission. Why the fuck would you switch the teams for this mission?"_

_Adam's eyebrows raised high on his head and he threw a concerned glance Aisha's way. Kim was beyond pissed._

_Tommy licked his lips, moving closer to her before rubbing her arms with his hands. "Kim, I know what I'm doing. Splitting the teams is a better decision."_

_She stepped back from him. "For who? You?"_

_Tommy said nothing._

"_That's it, isn't it?" She laughed mirthlessly. "Now is not the time for you to be playing knight in shining armor, Tommy!"_

"_I'm just trying to protect you," he insisted._

"_You're being stupid. I can take care of myself. I was doing fine before we were together. I didn't need your protection then, and I don't need you now," she hissed._

_Rocky winced. "Oh, shit…"_

_A flash of hurt was seen in Tommy's brown eyes before they turned cold. The fire in Kim's eyes remained, and Adam could swear he saw the briefest flash of blue._

"_The teams stay as they are," he said firmly before turning back to the screen._

_Kim stared at him silently, and the other rangers could see the tension rolling off her in waves._

_She moved close to him, barely an inch between their bodies. "If this mission is unsuccessful, it's on you."_

_She teleported out in a pink blur, leaving Tommy standing in the Command Center verbally wounded. His jaw clenched tightly in anger._

"_Tommy," began Billy._

"_Leave," said the white ranger quietly. The others looked at each other nervously._

"_Leave!" he shouted angrily._

_The teens teleported out of the room one by one, leaving their leader to his own thoughts._

"What are you sorry for?" she asked.

Tommy stared at her intently before looking down into his lap. She wasn't going to make this easy on him.

"Fuck it," he muttered before opening the passenger door, getting out the car and slamming the door shut.

Kim watched wide-eyed as he walked to the edge of the lake, picking up a rock before throwing it harshly into the water. Her nostrils flared briefly before she too got out of the car, slamming the door shut before marching over to him.

She grabbed his arm, turning him to look at her.

"What's wrong with you? I asked you a –" Kim gasped softly when she saw the look on his face. Even in the growing darkness, Kimberly could clearly read the distraught expression.

"Tommy? It's not that serious. I'm upset because you were being a jerk, but it's not really that big of a deal."

He said nothing in response to her words, which only increased her worry. Kim slid her arms around his waist.

"Talk to me," she whispered.

Tommy wrapped his arms around her tightly, his chin resting on top of her head.

"I'm sorry if my decision to have you on the same team as me made you feel weak or inferior," he said softly.

"You were a real jackass," she mumbled into his chest.

"I was only trying to keep you safe," he insisted, pulling back to look at her.

"Tommy, haven't I been a ranger just as long as you?" she asked.

He sighed before nodding.

"Exactly. I can take care of myself just fine."

Tommy pulled away from her. "I know that. I've never doubted whether or not you can fend for yourself, Kim. You're one of the strongest people I know."

Kim felt her cheeks flush red from his words. "But?"

"But that doesn't mean I don't _want_ to protect you." Tommy ran a hand through his hair, walking back to sit on her car. She followed him, standing so that they were now face to face.

"I can't shake the feeling that something will go wrong on the final mission," he admitted softly.

Kim raised an eyebrow. "What do you think will happen?"

Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. Just a gut feeling."

"Tommy, we take that chance every time we put on our robes to fight. There's always a risk."

"I know. But this is different, Kim. We're not fighting one of those stupid monsters that Rita decides to pull out of her ass just to ruin one of our dates. This is _the _battle… on _their_ turf."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Ever since we found out about those damn shards, everything has been escalating. The battles have gotten bloodier, more brutal… I'm grateful we got this thing under control that's been possessing us, at least for now.

"What if when we get to the moon something goes wrong? You and I get another one of those attacks? Or the mission isn't perfectly executed? What if we don't all make it out alive?"

Kimberly reached down to grab his hands, lacing his fingers with hers. She rubbed her thumbs over his hands gently, calming him down. "We can't predict the future, Tommy. But if anything happens, we'll have to deal with it."

Tommy looked up at her. "We have too much riding on this mission, Kim. We could end it all in one last fight or continue this war."

"I know," she murmured.

The older teen looked up at her. "I'm terrified to think of what would happen if we failed."

"So then we won't," she said softly.

Tommy remained silent for several minutes.

"I'm scared I might lose you."

Kimberly stepped closer to him, knowing it took a lot for him to admit he was scared of anything.

"You can't control if that happens."

He sighed. "I know that logically. But here," he raised their hands to rest over his heart, "I'm still trying to get that."

Kim looked at him in understanding. "That's why you put me on your team."

It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," he admitted. "If anything were to happen to you, I could try and stop it."

"But if something did happen to me, it would be that much worse, Tommy." He looked at her confused. "We both know if I were to be injured or worse… you'd never forgive yourself."

"Don't talk like that," he said gruffly, though he made no effort to deny her claim. It was useless to try.

"Then stop acting like I'm going to die." He winced slightly at her words, and she cupped his face in her hands.

"Don't you think I feel the same way? That I'm just as conflicted about all of us, especially you, being hurt while we're on this mission?" She laughed. "I want nothing more than to chain you to a wall while we leave for the moon, just to know you'll be safe."

"You can't do that. The team needs me."

"So do I," she stated softly. "But unlike you, I realize that this mission is more important than us."

Tommy shook his head. "You mean everything to me."

She smiled. "And you to me. But we can't be selfish and let the rest of the galaxy suffer because of us."

Tommy stood up slowly, his body pressed intimately against hers.

"If you're not with me, I won't be able to focus," he admitted. "I'm going to be worried constantly about you."

"But if I am with you, you're not being the true leader that you are," she reminded. "You know the mission has a better chance of success if we're not together. Don't let personal feelings get in the way of the mission."

He laughed softly. "I hate it when you're right."

"Then you must be angry all the time," she said with a smirk.

Tommy rolled his eyes before leaning down slowly, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Kim's arms wrapped around his neck as she deepened the kiss, her tongue moving sensuously against his.

Tommy broke away briefly to catch his breath before cupping her face, kissing her hard on the mouth with as much passion as he could muster. Kim let out a low moan, lips swaying gently with his.

She felt the all too familiar burning sensation in her stomach when his hands skimmed down her back to cup her ass in his large hands, and she gasped breathily as his lips found her neck.

She pulled back from him, shuddering from the intense heat in his gaze as they shifted from brown to blue. Tommy closed his eyes for several seconds, concentrating on refocusing the Imanyd energy in his body.

"Sorry," he said huskily, eyes back to their dark brown. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"It's fine, really. If you want we can…" she trailed off.

Tommy shook his head. "No, not tonight."

She raised an eyebrow.

"It's not that I don't want to… _believe_ me I do."

She rolled her eyes.

"It's just that… tonight, I just want to hold you."

Kim couldn't help the goofy grin that crossed her face anymore than she could stop herself from breathing. Tommy said the sweetest things sometimes, and she was sure he had absolutely no idea.

Tommy sat down on the hood Kim's car, arms open in a silent invitation. The pink ranger moved to stand between his legs, her back against his chest as she sat in his lap. Tommy wrapped his arms securely around her waist before pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder, neck, and cheek.

She leaned back so that their faces were beside each other's.

"I'll switch the teams tomorrow," he said quietly. "Sorry for being an asshole."

Kim turned to press a kiss to the side of his head as a way of accepting his apology. "Everything will work out, handsome," she whispered.

"It has to."


	17. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note:** This chapter focuses on the night before the Invasion of the Lunar Palace (the action will return in the next chapter). I almost feel bad the rangers since I know what's coming up, LOL. Hope you like this chapter! Please read and review. All feedback is appreciated. :)_

* * *

**Friday, 6:26 PM**

Kim's back pressed firmly against the wall as her eyes narrowed dangerously to ward off the blinding rays of sunlight. She could hear the weighty footsteps of the enemy on the other side.

The pink ranger grasped the gun in her hand tightly, getting down on one knee as she waited silently.

A tall figure suddenly came into her vision, his back turned to her as he surveyed the surrounding area. Kim smiled widely before holding the trigger, her aim perfect as her target was hit.

"God dammit!" yelled a gruff voice.

Kimberly cackled loudly as she looked into her boyfriend's flushed face.

"Those paintball things really hurt, Kim," he pouted. Tommy's back was covered in large blots of red paint.

Off on the sidelines, Billy groaned loudly as he saw his best friend get tagged by the petite pink ranger. Trini stood beside him laughing.

Billy rolled his eyes, focusing instead as Kimberly removed the blue flag from her back pocket and skipped happily to her team's post. She took her precious time hanging the flag, rubbing salt into the boys' wounds.

"All's fair in love and war, handsome," she said sweetly as she walked back to him.

Billy and Trini walked up to the couple, Trini with a smile while Billy wore a grim look. "I thought the plan was to actually win the game," commented Billy.

"Hey, at least I didn't get tagged in the first ten minutes. Besides, she snuck up on me."

Billy threw him an incredulous look. "I wouldn't exactly consider standing in one spot while you walked around aimlessly as 'sneaking up' on you."

"Shut up, Billy."

Kim and Trini laughed at their boyfriends. The wager was that whoever won the best of five games of Capture the Flag would be treated to dinner by the losers. The guys thought they had already won after winning the first two games, only to be thoroughly embarrassed as they lost the next three games in a row.

The girls were infinitely amused.

"Come on, guys," said Trini with a smile. "You guys lost and we're hungry." Kim nodded in agreement.

Billy and Tommy glared at each other before focusing on their girlfriends.

Tommy placed an arm around both women, wincing slightly from the sting of the paintballs on his back.

"What are you ladies in the mood for tonight?"

* * *

**Sloan Residence**

**Living Room**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**7:15 PM**

'_If there was ever a time to turn invisible, right now would be it,'_ thought Adam as he avoided James Sloan's intense gaze.

Adam sat on the plush green sofa in mild fear. Mr. Sloan offered little in terms of conversation and for that, Adam was somewhat grateful.

It didn't take a genius to realize that Adam was absolutely terrified of Tanya's father, and the older man was slightly amused by this fact. He studied the teen closely. Adam Park seemed like a nice boy, unlike that Tanya's idiot ex, Shawn. Shawn was not even remotely scared of the Marine, either because he was too cocky or too stupid.

Adam was dressed in a royal blue button down shirt, a black undershirt peeking through. His jeans were loose-fit dark denim, and he topped it off with a pair of Air Jordan I Phat Low sneakers that were black, varsity royal, and white.

"So, where's this party?" Tanya's father asked gruffly.

Adam felt himself jump slightly. "It's on the other side of town, at the Young estate."

Hannah Young was the richest girl in school, the only child of two world renowned plastic surgeons. Her parents gave her permission to throw a party this spring due to how well she had been doing in school. Billy and Trini didn't want to go, not being big partiers themselves. Kimberly refused to let Tommy go – and with good reason. Hannah had her eye on Tommy since he came to Angel Grove, and she made it no secret that she wanted him.

"And there is adult supervision?"

Adam nodded vigorously. "Yes, sir. Several adults will be at the party, and there will be no alcohol or drugs."

James raised an eyebrow. "I never thought there would be… but since you brought it up, I have a reason to be concerned. You plan on taking Tanya to some kind of wild house party or something?"

Adam paled considerably. _'Did the AC turn off? It's hot in here.'_

Mr. Sloan let out a barking laugh, although Adam did not join in. "I'm just yanking your chain, Adam."

The black ranger let out a strained laugh, though it sounded more like a wheeze. The sound of footsteps on the stairs was like heaven to Adam's ears, and he stood immediately in anticipation.

First to come down was Aisha, who had spent the entire afternoon getting ready with Tanya at her house. Adam shook his head when he noticed she was wearing a red form-fitting blouse and denim skirt.

'_Rocky's gonna flip when he sees you wearing his color.'_

'_That's the idea.'_

"You look very nice, Aisha," said Adam with a smile. She grinned at him.

"What about me?"

Adam's mouth went dry when he saw Tanya at the base of the stairs. She was wearing a long yellow sleeveless blouse that tied behind her neck and came a few inches below her waist. Underneath, she wore dark denim shorts that showed off her long athletic legs. Adam's eyes traveled lovingly down her body to her feet, which were encased in the sexiest pair of heels Adam had ever seen on a woman.

'_Trying to catch flies, frog boy?'_ teased Aisha.

Adam coughed. "Tanya, you look… absolutely amazing," he said dreamily. She giggled.

"You clean up well yourself, _friend_."

'_There's that word again,'_ Adam thought, though he wasn't sure if he was imagining how she stressed saying it.

There was a pause as the two observed each other, and Aisha had to clear her throat to get them to focus.

"Okay, we're headed out. Bye, Uncle James," said Aisha, pressing a kiss to her uncle's cheek.

"Be back by midnight," he said before hugging his daughter.

"We will, dad."

The three teens headed to the front door, only for Adam to turn back at the last second to stand in front of Mr. Sloan. "It was a pleasure meeting you, sir," he said in what he hoped was a calm voice.

The older man looked at Adam's outstretched hand before clasping it in his own firmly. "Same. Bring my girls back safely." Adam didn't miss the veiled threat in the man's words.

'_Or else.'_

"Will do," said the black ranger with a smile before heading out the door.

Rocky sat in the passenger side of Adam's jeep with his eyes closed, bored from waiting. _'How long does it take to pick them up? Damn.'_

'_Rocky, sit in the back.' _The red ranger's eyes snapped open.

'_Say what?'_

'_Sit in the back,'_ said Adam.

'_No way, man. My legs get cramped in the backseat; plus, I was here first.'_

'_Either get in the back or I will make you. My jeep, my rules,'_ said Adam angrily.

Rocky rolled his eyes, turning to look out the window at the approaching black ranger.

And his jaw dropped.

'_Oh, wow.'_

'_Exactly. Get in the back. Now.'_

Rocky eyed Aisha almost lecherously. _'You didn't tell me Aisha was wearing red.'_

'_Would it have helped?'_

'_Let's think about that… yes.'_

Rocky quickly stepped out of the jeep, a grin plastered on his face as his friends grew near. He embraced Tanya first before gathering Aisha into a tight hug.

"Adam, how lucky are we to be taking the two hottest women to the party tonight?"

The girls rolled their eyes.

"Cute. Come on, let's go," said Tanya.

Adam moved quickly, opening the passenger door for her. She smiled widely at him before getting inside.

'_You're making me look bad, Adam.'_

'_Not my fault you're a Neanderthal.'_

Rocky moved to open the door for Aisha, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"I've known you for years, Rock. That's just not you." She patted him gently on the cheek before opening the door herself and climbing in.

Rocky shrugged to himself before running around to the other side and getting in. Seeing that everyone was finally in the car and buckled up, Adam took off down the street.

* * *

**Oliver Residence**

**Basement**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**8:01 PM**

"Billy… Billy… BILLY… son of a bitch!" yelled Tommy angrily. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"That was _not_ my fault," said the blue ranger.

Tommy glared angrily at his friend. "What the hell do you mean it wasn't your fault? You completely botched it!"

"I have no control over your appalling aim. I was in the perfect position for you to grab on and you failed. Miserably at that," stated Billy calmly.

"I would smack you with this controller if I didn't know Trini would attack me," mumbled Tommy moodily.

"Damn straight," said the Vietnamese girl from the couch. Kim looked up at her friend with a smile. The pink ranger returned her attention to the task at hand – painting Trini's nails.

Trini observed her right hand in admiration. "Kim, you were so right! This color is to die for."

Kim grinned. "Told you. That's why I just had to get it when I saw it from the window."

"Along with everything else," Tommy whispered under his breath.

Hearing him, Kim quickly grabbed a pillow off of the couch and chucked it at him. The pillow slammed firmly into the side of his head.

Tommy glared at her angrily. "Hey!"

Billy groaned. "Tommy! Focus!" The blue-eyed teen rapidly pressed the A button on his controller. Seeing the futility in the situation, Billy threw down the controller in irritation.

Tommy gave him a sheepish look. "It was Kim's fault."

The petite teen snorted from her spot several feet away. "Not my fault you have no skills."

Trini snickered.

"Tommy, need I remind you the game is called 'Sonic and Tails'? You're Sonic, I'm Tails. We have to work _together_ for it to be a _successful_ partnership," stressed Billy.

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid. I know that," said Tommy defensively.

"Then act like it," hissed Billy.

Tommy narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You know what?" He paused the game, saving his progress. "Screw this."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "Now you want to quit?"

Tommy shook his head, turning off the game and removing the cartridge from the console. He grabbed another cartridge and slammed it into place, flipping the power switch.

"Me and you. Mortal Kombat. Now."

Kimberly shook her head. "You would think they both got enough of losing in one day."

Trini shrugged. "Some people are a glutton for punishment."

"We can hear you, ladies," said Tommy.

"We weren't whispering, sweetie," said Kim in a sugary tone. Tommy rolled his eyes.

"Best of fifteen," said the white ranger.

"Fifteen?" asked Billy incredulously.

"Yeah… unless you're scared," goaded Tommy.

Billy quickly selected Raiden as his fighter, while Tommy chose Johnny Cage.

"Prepare to lose," said Tommy.

"Pride goeth before the fall," said Billy softly.

Trini blew gently on her newly painted fingernails. "We have to go back to that store, Kim. You saw how many colors they had?" she asked excitedly.

The boys had taken them to Olive Garden in the mall following their game of Capture the Flag. On their way out of the mall, Kimberly noticed a Claire's near the exit and immediately dragged Trini inside. Trini herself was not a big shopper and usually just watched Kimberly and Aisha shop, but even she had to admit she loved some of the stuff in the store.

"I know," gushed Kim. "I didn't know they were having a summer blowout sale. Aisha's gonna flip!"

Trini snorted. "You already have so much, though. I feel like I'm feeding into your shopping addiction."

Kim waved a hand dismissively. "There's no harm in that."

A snort from across the room caused Kim to grab another pillow and throw it in Tommy's direction. The grunt she heard let her know she hit her target.

"Some people never learn," said Trini sadly. "Now, what color am I painting your nails?"

Kim studied her nails curiously. At the moment, they were without polish. In the midst of all the fighting and travelling across space, Kim hadn't thought to do anything with her nails these last few weeks.

'_And it really wouldn't matter now since we have to fight again tomorrow,'_ she thought to herself sourly.

"How about… this one?" She lifted a bottle of nail polish that was the color of champagne.

"Very nice," said Trini as she grabbed the small bottle, shaking it in her hand.

The girls turned when they heard Tommy swear loudly, his controller upside down on the ground.

"_Finish him_," Shang Tsung's voice hissed evilly from the TV screen.

Tommy stood quickly, heading off to the back of the basement.

"Bring me back a diet coke!" yelled Kim after his angry form.

"I'll take a Ginger Ale," added Trini.

Tommy continued walking away, muttering under his breath about cheating and sore wrists.

Billy wore a tiny smile on his face as Raiden was pronounced the winner of the round.

"_Flawless victory_."

* * *

**Young Estate**

**Spring Party**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**8:53 PM**

"_This is how we do it…"_ sang Montell Jordan from the speakers.

Aisha smiled widely as she made her way over to Rocky.

"We _have_ to dance. I love this song," she shouted over the music. Rocky nodded vigorously, passing his drink to Adam as Aisha pulled him away.

Adam smiled happily at his friends. The two had been nearly inseparable all night. As soon as they entered the Young Mansion, guys were all over Tanya and Aisha. There was one point during the night when Adam thought he would have to break up a fight, when a guy from school grabbed Aisha around the waist. He felt the spike in Rocky's Imanyd energy immediately and was even sure he saw the faint glimmer of a katana in Rocky's hand at one point. Luckily, Aisha got the guy to back off and no violence was needed.

"You're looking absolutely delectable tonight," said a velvety voice to his right.

Adam inwardly groaned.

Margarita Sanchez.

"Hey, Margarita. You look… nice."

To be honest, the girl looked like the walking definition of sex. A skintight black leather miniskirt that left pretty much nothing to the imagination, a hot pink neon half tank top that exposed the smooth skin of her abdomen and the bellybutton piercing she got back in junior high. Her makeup was immaculate, and the perfume she wore was just the right amount to drive a man crazy.

Too bad she probably had every STD known to man.

"So what are you doing here all alone?" she asked softly, a hand now resting on his arm.

"Oh, I'm not. I'm here with people," he said with a tight smile.

She laughed. "I think your _people_ are busy enjoying themselves over there." She pointed at Rocky and Aisha. "They make a terribly attractive couple, don't you think?"

He nodded in agreement.

"That wasn't very nice of them to leave you here… by yourself…" Her hand trailed to his chest, playing with the buttons of his shirt.

"I can keep you company if you'd like." She smiled at him with her hazel eyes.

"Um… see..."

"Adam!" He turned quickly, and a wave of relief hit him when he saw that it was Tanya.

"I've been looking all over for you," she said sweetly. Her eyes trailed over to Margarita.

"Hi," she said shortly. Margarita merely nodded.

"I'm sorry to cut this short," she said in a tone that indicated she was anything but. "Adam promised me a dance, and I'm here to collect." She linked her fingers with his. "Later."

Adam gave a small wave to Margarita as Tanya dragged him off.

"I'm sorry. I know that wasn't my place, but I just can't stand that bitch."

Adam's eyes widened slightly before he began laughing. "It's okay. I was trying to leave without hurting her feelings. You probably saved me from being molested tonight," he said only somewhat jokingly.

Tanya smiled. "No big." She looked up as she heard the DJ change the song to "One More Chance" by Notorious B.I.G.

"Well, I'm gonna go find Aisha or something. I'll catch you later," she said as she walked off. Adam reached out a hand quickly, grabbing onto her small wrist.

"What about our dance?"

She eyed him curiously. "You never promised me a dance."

He smiled sheepishly. "I know… but that doesn't mean I don't want to."

She smiled up at him in pleasant surprise.

"I'd love to."

* * *

**Oliver Residence**

**Basement**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**11:06 PM**

"_Number 1: I don't remember how often I used to jerk off, but it was a lot. Number 2: I wasn't pissed off at my dad – even when I was old enough to know what he and mom were doing in the bedroom. Number 3: I don't look in the toilet before I flush it. Number 4: I haven't wet my bed for a long time. Number 5: why don't the two of you go fuck yourselves; I'm outta here."_

Tommy snickered from his position on the couch at the line. It was one of his favorite parts of the movie.

The four teens were watching _Basic Instinct_ on the large TV in Tommy's basement. Billy and Trini sat on the floor while Tommy and Kimberly lay on his leather sofa, their bodies covered by the Bruce Lee mink blanket Kimberly bought him last Christmas.

Tommy's arms were wrapped securely around her waist, his fingers locked with hers as she rested against his chest.

Kim's doe brown eyes were fixated on the screen, and Tommy was struck by how beautiful she was with only the light from the television illuminating her face.

It was a bit nerve-wracking for Tommy to think that tonight might be his last night to spend with his friends, his family… Kimberly. He pulled her a bit tighter to him, and she briefly looked up into his face, confusion evident. Tommy gave a small smile before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. She smiled before turning her attention back to the movie.

Kimberly shifted slightly between his legs and stilled briefly when she felt a noticeable bulge in the small of her back. Shaking her head slightly in amusement, she ground herself hard onto Tommy's erection, and she smiled wickedly at the sound of his sharp intake of breath.

The best word to describe _Basic Instinct _was charged. The movie was full of suspense, violence, drama… and sex. It was that strange mix that made such a movie highly appealing to the young pink ranger and it always left her slightly aroused.

It seems she wasn't the only one.

She could feel his erection growing behind her, and it made Kimberly immediately grateful that the lights were off and the two of them were under the thick blanket.

She slowly reached behind her, rubbing a hand gently over his straining hard-on. Tommy suppressed a small groan, masking it with a short cough. Kim rubbed her a bit harder through his jeans, and Tommy shifted slightly so that the pressure on his cock was less painful.

Kimberly had to admit there was a bit of a thrill in doing this while Billy and Trini were merely a few feet away. She was curious how far they could go before they were caught.

Hearing the deep moan in Tommy chest, Kim ceased her ministrations, fearing Billy and Trini were onto them.

It took Tommy several seconds to realize that Kimberly was no longer touching him, so powerful was his lust. He blinked rapidly when he saw her resting angelically against him, as if nothing had just occurred between them.

'_It's not nice to tease,'_ she heard in her head.

'_I would've finished the job, but you were getting too loud. I couldn't risk it.'_

Tommy shifted beneath her. '_Do you have any idea how uncomfortable I am right now?'_

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. _'I'm sorry. It's your own fault, really.'_

'_You shouldn't start something if you're not going to finish, Kim. Now I have to get you back.'_

The temperature under the blanket increased by twenty degrees.

Kimberly raised an eyebrow. _'What do you have in mind?'_

'_You'll see.'_

Tommy turned his attention back to the movie, leaving Kimberly in a permanent state of red alert. She expected him to tease her under the blanket, do something that would most likely drive her crazy.

He simply wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on top of her head.

She couldn't see the smile that graced his lips.

* * *

**Young Estate**

**Spring Party**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**11:31 PM**

Rocky Desantos wasn't sure how he ended up in his current position, but he definitely was not complaining. The events of the last hour or so were all blurred to him, and he couldn't quite remember how he ended up on his back on the couch with Aisha splayed on top of him.

Not that he minded.

The yellow ranger had one hand wrapped in his hair, the other running across the sensitive skin of his neck. One of her thighs rested between his legs, her body straddling his right leg. Rocky had one hand cupping the side of her face, the other firmly holding onto her round bottom.

Aisha had to admit, Rocky was an excellent kisser. The way his tongue curled around hers and his lips nibbled hers playfully had her groaning in delight. She could feel his fingertips lightly caressing the skin of her exposed thighs, creeping up the inside ever so slowly. Normally, she would have stopped him by now.

But something about this party… the atmosphere… him…

She just didn't give a shit.

Rocky was completely beyond caring that they were heatedly making out on the couch of someone they didn't really know. All he knew was that he was extremely horny, and his girlfriend was just as hot and bothered as he was.

He made a small circle on her inner thigh, causing Aisha to involuntarily grind herself on his leg. He could feel her heat burning him through his jeans, and his mind went blank at the shuddering moan she gave at the contact.

Quickly, he flipped them over, his right hand climbing up her thigh as his mouth attacked her neck with wet kisses. He continued rubbing his hands on her inner thighs, surprised by how sensitive she was there. Aisha kept arching against him, rubbing herself against him.

Rocky pulled back from her, captivated by the slightly glazed look in her eyes. He was no virgin, and his many experiences with women were enough to clue him in that Aisha was dangerously aroused right now.

He looked around the room, curious to see how many people knew what they were doing. No one was paying them the tiniest bit of attention. His eyes landed on Adam in the far corner of the room, and he smiled widely.

"Adam's dancing with Tanya," he said excitedly before cocking his head to the side. "I didn't know he knew how to grind."

Aisha rolled her eyes. "Of course he knows how to grind. I taught him."

Rocky looked down at her in shock. "You _what_?"

She grabbed his face in her hands. "Focus."

Aisha leaned up and kissed him hotly, ending the many questions that were coming to Rocky's mind. He responded instantly, his hand reaching up to massage her left breast through her top.

Rocky's right hand made contact with the waistband of her panties, and his hand stilled. Even though Aisha had sex before with her last boyfriend, he didn't want to cross any lines she wasn't ready for with him.

The subtle shift of her hips indicated what she wanted him to do, and he slowly slipped a hand into her underwear.

Rocky sucked on her neck as his skilled fingers made quick work of finding her clit, and she moaned softly in his ear. The red ranger worked the tiny bud quickly; he felt Aisha's body get wetter by the second. He trailed kisses up her throat to her mouth, kissing her deeply when her moaning got too loud. Shifting slightly, Rocky inserted two fingers inside of her, using his thumb to stimulate her clit as he fingered her roughly.

She pulled back from his kiss and his name tumbled from her lips with a groan as he felt her grip his fingers tightly. Her thighs rose high on his hip as she came beneath him, her hips twisting beneath his. When he felt her relax around his fingers, he kissed her again, mindful of her harsh breaths.

"That was… unexpected," she said as she tried to catch her breath. She moaned slightly when he removed his fingers.

"Yeah," he agreed. Watching Aisha climax in a room full of people was sexier than any scene from the pornos Rocky had under his bed.

Hands down.

"I think we should –" Rocky was cut off by a large crash on the other side of the room.

He lifted himself off of Aisha to see a crowd of people forming. The two rangers straightened out their clothes before heading over, curious to see what the commotion was. Rocky snuck into a nearby bathroom on his way over to wash his hands. Upon exiting, he was surprised to see Adam and Shawn in the center of the large circle, Tanya standing behind the black ranger.

"Shawn, you need to calm down," said Adam. Tanya's hand was clutching his shirt tightly.

"Calm down? I come in here and see you trying to fuck my girl against the wall!" shouted Shawn angrily.

Adam held up his hands. "We were just dancing!" He scowled. "And she's not your girl. You're the one that messed that up."

Shawn saw red and swung at Adam wildly, who quickly moved out of the way, shielding Tanya behind him.

He turned to her. "You need to move. I don't want you getting h –"

Adam's sentence was cut short as Shawn grabbed him from behind, slamming him into the wall. The crowd around them winced at the thud.

"Keep away from Tanya!" shouted Shawn.

Adam laughed. "You're just mad because she's here with me, and you're all alone."

"Fuck you," he snarled before rearing back, slamming his fist into Adam's face.

Rocky jumped into the circle. "All right, Shawn, that's enough. Leave Adam alone." He grabbed onto Shawn from behind and threw him to the ground.

One of Shawn's friends from the baseball team pushed his way through, towering over Rocky.

"Back off, Desantos. This is between Shawn and Adam."

Adam shook his head slightly, and his eyes narrowed as he saw Shawn climb to his feet. Shawn made his way determinedly over to Tanya.

"You got some nerve coming here disrespecting me in front of everybody with that dumbass," he said lowly to Tanya.

"Shawn, get away from me," she said dismissively.

Adam walked over to them. "Leave her alone, Shawn."

"Didn't you learn your lesson the first time, Park? This has nothing to do with you."

Adam grabbed the back of Shawn's shirt, only to have the African American boy shove him roughly.

"Back the fuck up."

"I don't want to hurt you, Shawn," warned Adam.

Shawn swung at Adam, and the black ranger used the boy's momentum against him, shoving him down onto the floor. Adam struck a defensive stance.

"Leave."

Shawn stood laughing. "You gonna use some karate on me?" Adam moved with Shawn, his hands ready for an attack.

Shawn moved close to Adam, his voice dropped to a whisper. "I bet it's eating you up inside I fucked the girl you've been wanting to date since middle school." He smiled. "She's even better than she looks."

All anyone saw was a blue and black blur jump on top of Shawn Robertson. The crowd erupted, captivated as Adam swung wildly at Shawn's body.

A friend of Shawn's, Paul, slammed into Adam, knocking him off of the now bruised baseball player. Adam kicked wildly, his foot connecting painfully with the knee of his attacker. Rocky ran over to his friend, shoving Paul off of Adam. Adam quickly scurried to his hands and knees, and he crawled determinedly over to Shawn, striking him again with his fists.

'_Rocky!'_ yelled Aisha in his head. _'Adam's powers.'_

The red ranger turned, eyes widening when he saw the faint wisps of pale blue energy coming from Adam's fists. Rocky jumped off of Paul hurriedly, grabbing Adam around the waist and hoisting him off of Shawn.

"Show's over people," he yelled as he dragged the angry black ranger through the crowd. "Move it, move it. Nothing to see."

Rocky shoved his friend into one of the lounge chairs by the pool, shaking his head as he gave Adam a once over. His shirt was rumpled, the buttons on the front missing. His hair was all over the place and his knuckles were busted. His bottom lip was swollen, and the skin around it was dark in the limited light.

"That's gonna be a nasty bruise." Rocky crossed his arms over his chest. "What the hell did Shawn say to get you so pissed? You're supposed to be the good one!"

Adam said nothing, his brown eyes focused instead on the water in the pool.

Rocky looked back into the house. "You gonna be all right out here? I'm gonna check and see how much damage you guys did to Hannah's house."

Adam nodded, his eyes never leaving the water.

His view was suddenly blocked by a pair of long brown legs and yellow heels. His eyes traveled up slowly to meet Tanya Sloan's inquiring gaze. She was holding two bags of ice and had two thin towels resting on her shoulder.

"You look like shit," she offered.

He smiled wryly. "You should see the other guy."

She rolled her eyes before sitting next to him on the lounge. She grabbed his hands, moving them to rest on her thighs. Wrapping one of the bags of ice in a towel, she rested it over his hands, causing him to wince. She wrapped the other bag in a towel before resting it against his face. Adam groaned weakly.

"Quit being a baby," she teased, causing him to roll his eyes. She cleared her throat. "Thank you."

He gave her a curious look.

"For defending me."

He shrugged. "No big," he said, echoing her words from earlier.

Tanya looked down at his hands. "I uh…I heard what Shawn said to you that made you so angry."

Adam felt his ears burn.

"I never slept with him."

Adam shook his head. "It's really none of my business."

She smiled. "You went ballistic because of what he said… I think you deserve the truth at the very least." Tanya sighed. "Shawn and I were having issues, one of them being that I wouldn't put out."

Adam nodded. "Why not?" She gave him a look. "If you don't mind my asking."

"He's not the one I want to give myself to," she said quietly.

They sat in silence after her admission, eyes on each other.

Adam was the first to break contact. "Fair enough."

Tanya watched Adam curiously, and she could see he was striking up the nerve to say something.

"Tanya," he said finally.

"Yes?" she asked quickly.

He took a deep breath. There really was no point in beating around the bush. If she heard what Shawn said, _all_ of what he said, then she had to know.

"Look, we've known each other for some time now, since we were twelve years old." His fingers burned against her skin. "All this time I've been trying to come up with a way to tell you…"

"Tell me what?"

He cleared his throat. "Tanya, I l –"

"Bro!" yelled Rocky, breaking the moment between the two. Adam turned his sour gaze to his friend.

"Yes?"

"We need to get outta here. Someone called the cops. They're headed this way. Time to make a hasty retreat."

Aisha stood beside her boyfriend, and she mouthed 'I'm so sorry' to Adam. She could tell from how close the two were sitting that they were discussing something important.

"We better go," said Adam softly. He didn't miss the disappointed look that crossed her beautiful features.

"Yeah, you're right," she said just as softly. She removed the ice from his face and hands. Adam flexed his fingers briefly before standing, offering a hand to Tanya.

Rocky looked between the two with narrowed eyes before it slowly sank in.

"Shit, my –" Adam cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Let's get outta here."

* * *

**Oliver Residence**

**Basement**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**11:48 PM**

Billy hit the rewind button on the VCR while Trini turned on the lights.

"A peculiar movie, I must admit," said the blue ranger. "I rather enjoyed it."

Trini nodded her agreement. "That's my third time seeing it, and I still love it. Nice choice, Kim."

The pink ranger nodded before climbing off of Tommy to stand. She looked down at her boyfriend, only to see his eyes closed.

He had fallen asleep.

"So, what do you guys want to do now?" asked Kim.

Billy looked at Trini before turning to Kim. "I think we're going to head out. I promised Trini I'd take her for a joyride in the RADBUG. We should do it now before it's too late."

Kim knew by joyride that Billy meant flying.

Trini smiled as she looked at Tommy. "He's out like a light."

Kim laughed. "Yeah." She stretched her limbs slowly. "I'll walk you guys out to the front since Tommy is passed out. When I wake him up, I'll let him know you guys left."

The three teens walked up the stairs of Tommy's basement to the front porch. Kimberly hugged Trini first and then Billy before they headed off to his car.

"Make sure you guys are careful with the RADBUG. Flying cars are cool and all, but I like it better if you're on the ground."

Billy grinned. "No worries, Kim. Trini and I will use the utmost precaution while handling the RADBUG. I give you my word."

She sighed. "All right. But call me when you guys are done… just so I know you're alive. It's dark out, so you never know."

"Affirmative," he said, opening the driver's side door. Trini waved to Kimberly from the passenger side before the small car took off down the street.

Kimberly closed the front door and locked it before heading to the basement. The pink ranger shut the basement door behind her, turning around to gasp in shock as Tommy stood before her.

"Holy shit," she breathed. She expected Tommy to still be asleep when she got back, but there he was before her, fully awake.

"I thought they'd never leave," he said lowly.

Kimberly could feel the arousal rolling off him in waves, and it hit her like a kick in the stomach.

Tommy moved closer to her pressing her against the basement door with his body. His large hands skimmed down her back to cup her ass, and he lifted her easily so that her legs wrapped around his waist.

"We have unfinished business," he said. Kimberly could feel her pulse racing, and she wondered if Tommy could hear the beat of her heart as well. As his lips descended on hers, she briefly saw a flash of blue before his eyes shut completely.

Kim could only concentrate on how hot Tommy felt pressed up against her. His erection was at full attention, and it rubbed deliciously against her pelvis. His hands snaked their way under her shirt, releasing her small breasts from her bra. Tommy rolled her shirt up, and he captured one of her pink nipples into his wet mouth. She cried out at the sensation, grinding herself against him. He held one hand against her back as he turned around, using the other hand to grasp the railing as they descended the stairs.

His mouth trailed to her other nipple, and Kim moaned softly as his suckled on the hardened tip. Tommy walked into the center of the room, steadily lowering himself to his knees before leaning forward to rest Kimberly on her back. Pulling back, he reached under her skirt, stripping her of her panties and throwing them somewhere behind him. Kim's body felt hot all over, and she shivered as his hands skimmed up her thighs, past her trembling stomach, to cup her breasts. He kneaded them gently as his tongue played with her bellybutton, dipping inside teasingly.

Kim felt herself get wetter as mouth dipped low on her body, and he gave a long lick up her inner thigh. He repeated with her other leg, his tongue reaching a bit higher on her right leg. Tommy trailed his hands down her body to the end of her skirt, inching the short fabric up until it was bunched around her waist. Tommy grabbed firmly onto her thighs before pulling her towards him, resting a leg over each shoulder.

"I haven't tasted you in a long time," he whispered huskily, his hot breath sending tingles over her body as his mouth hovered over her sex.

Kimberly bit her lip in anticipation, eyes rolling into the back of her head as his tongue licked her from end to end. Gripping her thighs tightly, Tommy licked her with the flat of his tongue, roughly stimulating her clit with his mouth.

"Yes," she hissed as his tongue invaded her body. She arched and moaned continuously as he alternated between probing her with his tongue and sucking directly on her clit.

The scent and taste of her was heaven on his senses, and he quickly became intoxicated with her. Tommy listened intently to the mewling sounds she made above him, the pleas for him to never stop and the breathy way she said his name when he would flick his tongue against her clit.

Kimberly felt like a tightly wound coil was in the pit of her stomach, and in any moment, it was about to snap. She ground herself against Tommy's mouth, completely unashamed at how loudly she was crying his name. She knew this would do nothing to deflate his already large ego, but she just couldn't give a damn as long as he was going down on her.

"Tommy… ohshit…" she gasped suddenly, arching her back and scratching the floor with her nails as he took her tiny clit into his mouth. He kept his grip on her thighs, holding them still so that she couldn't clamp down around his head.

Feeling her begin to buck wildly beneath him, Tommy sucked hard on her clit, causing her to scream loudly. Kimberly twisted her upper body, rolling from side to side as he relentlessly lashed at her sensitive bud.

"Fuck…. yesyesyesyes…. Tommy… ohmyGOD TOMMY!" Kim's back arched painfully as she let a loud wail, signaling her climax. Tommy lapped her juices greedily, not wanting to miss a single drop of her orgasm.

Kim shuddered when he released her thighs, and she faintly heard the sound of a rip in the background. Tommy grinned smugly at the dazed look on his girlfriend's face before unbuttoning his jeans and yanking them down his legs. He slipped on the condom he just opened, leaning over her still trembling frame as he held himself up with his hands.

Carefully, Tommy guided himself between her strong thighs, and she moaned quietly from the sensation. He thrust tentatively at first, not surprised at all when he slipped in balls deep after the first thrust with how hard she came.

Almost immediately, Tommy's hips began to pick up speed. Kim locked her legs around his waist, and she let out soft whimpers from the feel of him so deep inside of her.

His mind went blank at the sensation of her being wrapped so tightly around his cock and he thrust harder in anticipation of his climax. Kim met his thrust with counterthrusts of her own, creating a loud slapping noise in the room each time their hips met.

Tommy pressed hot kisses to her chest and neck, groaning into her skin how good it felt to be inside her. She was delirious from the pleasure of their coupling, moaning in his ear how close she was to coming again.

"I've always… dreamt of… fucking… you… on my… floor," he said hotly, tongue licking the hollow point of her neck. "Exactly like this… skirt and all."

Kimberly felt herself tighten around him at his words. She gave a soft laugh. "Enjoying living out… one of your fantasies?" she asked before letting out a cry as he hit her spot.

"Absolutely," he grunted, bracing himself on his knees before thrusting inside her furiously.

Her nails dug into his back painfully as he hammered away inside her. Every thrust ripped a loud cry from her throat, and by the increased wetness around his shaft, he could tell she was close.

"Yes… fuckyes… fuck I'm gonna…" He felt her body heave beneath his, her hips bucking wildly as her face contorted in pleasure.

"Fuck… Tommy you're so… I'm cumming!" she screamed, clinging to him tightly as her body shook beneath his.

Tommy felt his eyes cross at the surge of heat and tightness, and he grasped her hips in his hands.

"Oh… oh… Kim… I'm… fuck…" He mumbled incoherently as his climax overtook him, and her name escaped his mouth like a mantra. He gave three hard thrusts before coming to a stop, his seed filling the condom.

The two lay panting on the floor thoroughly exhausted. Tommy rolled off of her, a wide smile on his handsome features.

Kim took a deep breath, hoping to calm her racing heart. "That was…nice."

Tommy laughed. "With all your screaming, I would think you could do a bit better than 'nice'."

Kim rolled her eyes, fighting hard to keep the smile off her face. "If I weren't so tired, I'd slap the shit out of you."

"You're cute when you're angry. "

"And you're just annoying. Always."

Tommy smiled. "Somebody's cranky and clearly needs a nap. Did I wear you out that much?"

Kim closed her eyes, although she could feel his smug smile. "I hate you."

"Love you, too, beautiful."

* * *

**Sloan Residence**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**11:57 PM**

Adam pulled up in front of Tanya's house in his jeep.

"Well, here we are," she stated awkwardly.

"Yeah."

Ever since the fight at Hannah Young's party, the mood between the pair had been different. It was no longer easygoing… just tense.

"I guess I'll see you guys later," she stated as she opened the door. Rocky and Aisha said their goodbyes; Adam just watched her leave.

Tanya closed the door, walking up to her house. Rocky waited about five seconds before reaching next to Adam, slapping him hard upside his head.

"Ow, what?"

"_¡__Eres tan maldito estúpido!_ Go after her," hissed Rocky. (You're so damn stupid)

"And say what?" asked Adam.

Rocky rolled his eyes. "I don't know. _Anything_! She was practically begging you to walk her to her door."

Adam turned to look at Aisha who only shook her head sadly. The male species was incredibly thick sometimes.

Adam stepped out of the jeep, walking around quickly to catch up to Tanya, who was now at her front door.

"Tanya!"

She turned around quickly, slightly surprised to see Adam running up to her.

"Hi," he said upon reaching her.

"Hi."

He scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Adam, look… what happened tonight... it doesn't h –"

Adam moved forward, pressing a soft kiss against her mouth. The kiss was short, but it left Tanya speechless.

"Tanya, I like you," he breathed. "Like really like you. Ever since I first saw you."

She stared at him strangely.

"Tanya?" he asked worriedly. '_Maybe kissing her wasn't my brightest idea.'_

Tanya blinked once. Then again.

"You kissed me," she said in a strange voice.

"Yeah."

"You _kissed _me," she said, her voice now firm.

Adam's heart raced. "I'm sorry! I just thought… I mean…" He felt his neck heat up.

Tanya reached up, holding his face in her hands.

"Took you long enough."

Adam's eyes widened when her lips met his. Fireworks exploded behind his eyes, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her lips swayed over his gently, setting his skin ablaze.

Adam pulled away from her suddenly. "Ow," he mumbled.

Tanya's expression changed from confusion to one of sorrow as she gently brushed a finger over his bruised mouth.

"Sorry. I forgot."

He smiled. "It was totally worth it."

Rocky and Aisha watched excitedly from the backseat as their friends smiled at each other stupidly.

"I can't believe it," said Rocky in awe. "He actually made a move."

Aisha grinned. "Adam's all grown up now."

Aisha felt Rocky's gaze on her, and she turned to meet his eyes.

"What?"

He cleared his throat. "We're not gonna talk about what happened tonight?"

Aisha looked at him in confusion before her faced flushed with heat.

"Not now. We'll get to it…eventually. Let's just focus on Adam tonight, okay?" she asked.

Rocky nodded, internally relieved that the conversation was put on hold.

Back on the porch, Tanya smiled up at Adam. "I guess it's time for me to head in."

"Yeah," he said softly.

"Call me tomorrow?" she asked suddenly.

Adam's smile dropped. "I'll be… busy… tomorrow. Have to go away on a trip, but I can definitely give you a call on Sunday."

'_If I'm alive.'_

Her fingers played with his. "I'd like that. A lot."

She turned, opening the door to her house. "Goodnight, Adam."

He tugged on her hand, turning her around to press another soft kiss against her lips.

"Goodnight… _friend_."

Tanya chuckled at his parting comment, waving goodbye to him shyly before going inside.

Adam rested his head against the door for a few seconds before turning around, walking slowly back to his jeep. He wasn't at all surprised to see that Aisha had moved to the passenger seat.

Adam climbed in behind the wheel and closed the door, taking a deep breath.

It took all of three seconds for Aisha to begin screaming and hugging him fiercely. Rocky punched him lightly in the arm, ruffling his hair.

"Taught him everything he knows," said Rocky proudly.

Aisha laughed. "But Rocky… he was actually _successful_ with the girl he wants."

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "Got you, didn't I?"

Adam smiled. "He's got a point there, 'Sha."

"Shut up," she said quickly to Rocky before turning to Adam. "Aww, I'm so happy for you! It's about damn time."

"Yeah, bro. I thought you'd never make a move at your pace," said Rocky.

"And I always wanted to tell you that Tanya had a crush on you, but she swore me to secrecy and…"

Adam held up a hand. "Wait… _what_? She liked me this whole time and you never _told_ me?" he asked incredulously.

Aisha bit her lip guiltily. He turned to Rocky.

"Did you know?"

Rocky shot Aisha a nervous glance. "Before I answer, I'm gonna need you to define the word 'know' for me…"

Adam shook his head. "What about Kim?"

He was met with silence.

"Damn, did _everyone _know?"

More silence.

Adam let out a breath in irritation, though in all honesty, his elation from having kissed the girl of his dreams outweighed any anger he could feel.

Still, he didn't mind letting them think he was angrier than he actually was.

"You guys suck."

* * *

**Billy's RADBUG**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**12:19 AM**

"It really is beautiful up here."

Billy smiled at Trini, whose head was resting on his shoulder.

The two had spent the last half hour flying around the skies of Angel Grove in Billy's car. It amused Billy to no end to watch Trini's excitement at being inside the world's first flying car.

"I'm glad you like it."

Trini trailed a finger down his chest. "How cool is it to tell people I'm dating the smartest eighteen-year-old and that we drove around in his flying car?"

Billy laughed. "I'm sure you would be met with some interesting looks, Tri."

She snorted. "Probably." She yawned suddenly, the events of the day finally catching up to her.

"What are you doing tomorrow? I was thinking of having a day to ourselves if you're free."

Billy's mind suddenly filled with images of Rita and Zedd. He could hear loud explosions in his ear; could smell the sweat and blood from battle… he could even feel the weight of his broadswords in his hands.

Trini lifted her head from his shoulder. "Billy?"

The blue ranger blinked rapidly, smiling down at her suddenly.

"I apologize. My mind wandered for a bit. What was your inquiry?"

Trini put her head back on his shoulder. "Tomorrow. What are your plans?"

Billy sighed. "Unfortunately, I will be preoccupied all day tomorrow. It seems my father needs my help with one of his new additions to his SUV."

She chuckled softly. "Again?"

"I'm afraid so."

Billy hated lying, especially to those he cared about. Another quality he didn't like about himself – lying was becoming as natural as breathing since being a ranger.

"What about Sunday?" she asked hopefully.

Billy shifted beneath her, an arm snaking around her shoulders.

"If all goes well tomorrow, I will no longer have to help my father with anymore additions to his SUV – it should be the last one. I'll be free to spend all Sunday with you."

"Then I'll cross my fingers that tomorrow goes off without a hitch," she said.

As Trini snuggled into him, Billy was struck by how beautiful she looked with the moonlight shining down on her face. He trailed a finger along her jaw line, and she looked at him, confused by the intimate gesture.

"What's on your mind?" she asked quietly.

"I was just thinking about how much I love you."

Trini sat up, leaning over to kiss him soundly on the lips. "I love you, too."

"I don't say it enough, but you being with you is one of the best decisions I have made thus far. I'm happiest when I'm with you. Please believe me when I tell you that," he said in a tone that was somewhat desperate.

"Billy, you're starting to scare me," she said worriedly. "What's wrong?"

He gave a strained smile. "Nothing. I just…need you to understand what I'm saying."

Trini eyed him warily. "I do," she said after a pregnant pause. "And I feel the same."

"Thank you," he whispered before kissing her firmly on the lips.

Trini reciprocated fully, and she felt a small thrill in Billy's kiss. He had never kissed her like this before… so passionately, so fiercely. It made her feel weak and lightheaded.

When they parted, she gave him a small grin. "Feel free to kiss me like that again at any time."

Billy laughed. "I take it you enjoyed this particular kiss."

"Affirmative," she teased.

He kissed the top of her forehead before hugging her close.

Billy made a promise to himself. If he made it through tomorrow, he would kiss Trini like that for the rest of his life.

* * *

**Hart Residence**

**Living Room**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**12:24 AM**

"Kim, sweetie, are you okay?" asked a concerned Caroline Hart.

She wasn't particularly fond of her daughter playing paintball with her friends. She had heard of how dangerous the game could be with the bruising from the darts. Seeing her daughter walking into the house with a limp made Caroline wish she had told her daughter no.

"I'm fine, mom," said Kim. The pink ranger took her time walking around the house.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I've had worse injuries from gymnastics, mom. I'll be fine." Kim gave her mom the best smile she could muster. "I think I'm going to head up and take a shower and then go to sleep. I'm really tired."

Kim could tell from her mother's expression she thought Kim's fatigue and limp were from paintball. Kim felt no need to correct her mother's assumption – she couldn't tell her it was actually from having really rough yet incredibly satisfying sex with her boyfriend.

She doubted _that _would go over well.

"Tommy dropped you off?"

Kim nodded, now halfway up the stairs. "Yeah. He's heading back home now and then going to sleep, too."

Caroline smiled. "Good. You all had a great time?"

"The best. Anything happen while I was out?"

"Your brother called," said her mom. "Just calling to check in on you. He said he'll be home in about three weeks. He's flying out as soon as his last final is over."

Kim smiled. She missed her brother Kenneth greatly, and it was tough with him being over in New York getting his Master's degree at Columbia.

"I'll call him back this weekend, when I'm not so sleepy." She faked a yawn as she turned back to head up the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, Kimberly emerged from the shower fully refreshed and clean from the day's activities. She used a towel to dry her hair as she sat on her bed in her pajamas.

A knock at her door caught her attention.

"Yes?"

"Tommy called while you were in the shower to let you know he, Billy, and Trini made it home safely and to wish you goodnight." Kim didn't have to see her mom to know she was smiling.

"And both Adam and Aisha called. It didn't sound like an emergency, but you know how your friends are."

Kim let out a soft laugh. "Thanks, mom. I'll call them back later. Goodnight."

"Night, Kimberly."

Kimberly grabbed the silver phone off her nightstand and dialed the familiar seven-digit number to Aisha's house.

The phone barely rang once.

"Took you long enough," said Aisha sassily. Kim rolled her eyes.

"I was taking a shower. What's the emergency?"

"Hold on," said the yellow ranger. "Can you do a three-way call with Adam?"

"Yeah. Give me a minute."

Kimberly switched the line to call Adam and switched back to Aisha. The two girls waited patiently as the phone rang.

"Hello?" said a soft male voice.

"Hi, Adam," said Kim.

"Hey, Kim," he said happily.

"Aisha's on the line, too," she told him.

"Cool."

"So… I'm guessing you both have some interesting stuff to tell me, or you both wouldn't have called," said Kim.

Their only response was to laugh softly into the phone.

"Who's going first?" she asked.

Aisha laughed. "I think Adam's got this one covered."

"Way to throw me under the bus, 'Sha," he muttered.

"Oh please, you know you're dying to tell!" teased Aisha.

"Not really."

"Liar," she retorted.

"Can someone _please_ start talking?" asked Kim impatiently.

Adam sighed heavily over the line.

"It all started when we went to pick up Tanya…"


	18. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note:** The chapter you've been waiting for. I already know most of you are going to hate me for the end, LOL. I apologize in advance. Please read and review, and as always, all feedback is greatly appreciated. :) Hope you enjoy!_

_For reference:_

**Bold **is communication via com-link.

_'Italics between apostrophes' _is telepathic communication.

_Italics_ in other situations is just for emphasis.

* * *

**Outside the Lunar Palace**

**Angel Grove Time, 10:02 AM**

**D-Day**

"**Alpha Team, do you read me?**"

"**Loud and clear**," responded Adam.

"**Beta**?"

"**We read you, Tommy**," stated Billy.

"**All right, Gamma 2 out.**"

The white ranger crouched low inside a large crater on the moon's surface, Rocky resting beside him. The rangers had landed on the moon nearly fifteen minutes before, all anxious to begin their mission. Tommy was testing their signal one last time before sending out the teams.

"**All right, begin phase one of Operation Mongoose. Beta Team, head in.**"

"**On it**," replied Aisha.

Billy and Aisha summoned their invisibility before climbing out of the crater, running quickly to the large cavern in the back of the castle.

"**Beta 2, what's your position?**" asked Tommy.

"**Two hundred yards and closing**," responded Billy, his voice coming in short breaths.

"**Got it. Alpha Team, you're up next.**"

"**Roger**," replied Kim. She looked over at Adam. "I've always wanted to say that."

The black ranger rolled his eyes before going invisible, Kim following shortly after. The two climbed out of their crater, taking off in the same direction as Billy and Aisha.

"**Two hundred yards**," came Adam's voice.

"Let's do it," said Rocky eagerly.

The two disappeared suddenly, heading as quickly as possible for the Lunar Palace.

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Beta Team**

**Boiler Room**

**10:26 AM**

Billy popped off the bars to the vent leading into the boiler room of the Lunar Palace. He reached into his pack, tying the rope around his waist. Seeing he was ready, Aisha grabbed onto the rope before climbing down.

Feeling the tug, Billy jumped down from his perch, and Aisha deftly caught him using her animal spirit.

Quietly, the two headed through the boiler room, Aisha leading the way.

Billy found himself wishing they had more time so he could fully explore the boiler room. It was enormous, and he realized now why a schematic was needed to find one's way around. The intricate piping system and hundreds of corridors made the room a labyrinth.

'_Okay,' _said Aisha. She was looking at the blueprint of the boiler room on her visor. Billy thought it would be helpful to have it easily accessible during the mission.

'_We need to make three rights and then a left, and we should be at the door of the security room.'_

Their way to the security room was met with no difficulties, and they stood behind the door in silence.

Billy called upon his Ninjetti powers, allowing him to see in energy patterns. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, seeing no life patterns in the room.

'_Squatt and Baboo aren't here.'_

Aisha shook her head. _'Last time we were here, Scorpina chewed them out good for being off-duty. Seems they didn't learn their lesson.'_

She looked down at the padlock next to the door. _'We need a code to get in.'_

Billy took off his pack, grabbing a small device and connecting it to the padlock before pressing a blue button.

The teens waited several seconds before the door slid open.

'_Decoder,'_ he offered in explanation.

Aisha walked in, followed by Billy. The blue ranger checked out the corridor again before entering, sliding the door closed.

The two sat down in the seats, pulling out laptops from their packs. Aisha began typing rapidly on the panels of the security system before groaning in frustration.

'_Did you bring the translator? I don't know what language this is.'_

Billy nodded, grabbing the disk out of his pack before handing it to her. Aisha inserted the disk into the CD drive and connected her laptop to the security system while the CD booted. The yellow ranger crossed her fingers before sighing in relief when several windows popped up on her screen.

'_I'm connected to the mainframe.'_

'_Good,'_ said Billy, his own laptop connected to the system as well. _'All right, you handle directing Tommy and Rocky. I'll fix the defensive systems for Adam and Kim.'_

'_On it,'_ said Aisha.

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Gamma Team**

**Back Cave**

**11:03 AM**

"**Beta 1 to Gamma, do you read me?**" came Aisha's voice.

"**We read you, Beta 1. What is your position?**" responded Rocky.

"**We are in the security room. All surveillance indicates we have not been detected.**"

"**Excellent**," said Tommy. "**We are still in the caverns with Alpha team awaiting directions.**"

"**Okay.**" They heard typing. "**I'm in the computer mainframe and looking at a layout of the part of the palace above the boiler room. There is a vent that leads directly into the lower levels. From the picture, I'm guessing it's a bathroom.**"

"**Works for me**," said Rocky. "**Which vent do we take to get there?**"

Clicking was heard. "**Look** **above you. Far right. There should be two vents, one on top of the other.**"

"**We see them**," said Tommy.

"**You need to go inside of the one highest up.**"

Tommy turned to Kimberly, grabbing her smaller hand in his and giving it a squeeze. She nodded.

'_Good luck.'_

Rocky moved to the wall, climbing expertly up its rocky surface to the vent. He yanked off the bars, throwing them down quickly to the ground. Tommy used the power of the falcon to levitate, floating high enough for Rocky to grab his arm once within reach.

The two climbed inside, finding some difficulty crawling through due to their large statures.

Rocky stopped upon reaching the other side of the vent, and he heard Tommy give an irritated sigh.

'_Can you warn me next time you stop? I almost ran into your ass. Literally.'_

Rocky snorted. _'Sorry.'_

'_You see anything?'_ asked Tommy.

'_Not a damn thing. It's so fucking dark in here,' _Rocky muttered.

'_Can you detect any life energy?'_

Rocky called upon his Imanyd powers, eyes shining blue behind his visor as he looked around.

'_Nothing.'_

'_All right,' _said Tommy._ 'Let's head in. Try not to make too much noise.'_

Rocky pushed hard on the bars of the vent, unable to make them budge.

'_I either have to kick them or bash them in… both won't work. Too much noise.'_

Tommy stared at the bars. _'Can you bend them?'_

Rocky shrugged. _'Worth a shot.'_

Grabbing onto two of the bars, Rocky pulled as hard as he could, forcing the bars to bend outwardly. The metal whined softly under his hands, causing him to flinch.

'_I think we're good,'_ said Rocky, not hearing any approaching footsteps.

He climbed through the hole, landing softly on the floor of the room. Tommy followed suit, handing Rocky their packs before joining him on the ground.

Tommy looked around. _'This isn't a bathroom.'_

He walked slowly to the large axe hanging on the wall, fingers touching the handle before turning to the spiked mace next to it.

'_It's a weapons room.'_

'_Shit,'_ said Rocky. _'These are grenades. Rita and Zedd are packing some heavy artillery.' _He held one of the small bombs in his hand before placing it back on a nearby table.

'_All right,'_ said Tommy. _'We need to head out. The third shard is most likely with Goldar. The first was on Zedd's staff; another in Rita's.'_

Rocky pondered this. _'His sword? It has jewels all over it. Maybe it's there. That's his main weapon, like their staffs.'_

'_Worth a try.'_ Tommy used his Imanyd powers to look for any life energy readings on the other side of the door, smiling when he found none.

'_Let's move.'_

_

* * *

_

**Lunar Palace**

**Alpha Team**

**Back Cave**

**11:07 AM**

"**Alpha Team, come in.**"

"**This is Alpha 1. We read you, Billy**," replied Adam.

"**I'm going to direct you to the prisoners. I'm providing you with caution, however. The area where they are being detained is very dark, so you'll be going in blind. There's some type of smoke that causes a haze on the camera. I can't see very much.**"

"**Understood**," said Adam.

"**All right. Do you see the large vent to your left? It should be next to the vent Aisha and I used?**"

"**Yeah, we see it. We need to go through that one?**"

"**Affirmative.**"

Kim tapped into her crane powers, levitating so that she was level with the bars blocking the vent. Grabbing tightly, she yanked the bars, throwing them down onto the ground before crawling inside. On the ground, Adam backed up several feet before jumping high into the air and grabbing the edge of the vent. Kimberly grabbed onto him, helping him pull himself into the hole.

The two climbed through, stopping when they came to another set of bars.

'_We can't pop these off,'_ Kim said. In front of the bars were two sets of very large purple feet.

'_Tengu,'_ said Adam irritably_. 'Hold on, I have an idea.'_

Kimberly watched as Adam began to rapidly shrink beside her, a black frog looking back at her. The frog blinked at her before hopping through the bars, hidden in the gray smoke that covered the ground. She could hear the sudden sound of squawking, grunts, and thuds on the other side of the bars and laughed silently to herself.

The bars were pulled away from her, and they made a small clang as they were deposited on the ground. She grabbed onto Adam's offered hand, allowing him to pull her through the bars. She glanced down at the unconscious Tengu.

'_You didn't kill them,'_ she noted.

He shrugged. _'Not yet.'_

Kim moved over to their bodies, grabbing the keys off of one of them before tossing them to Adam.

"**Billy, can you see us?**"

"**Negative. And you're coming in faint. I'll try to raise the frequency on your line.**"

Adam sighed. "**Alright.**" He turned, looking at the frightened faces of several prisoners.

Kim suddenly became visible. _'They don't know what the hell is going on. They just saw the guards be knocked out by nothing and now a floating set of keys.'_

Adam became visible as well. _'Right.'_

The pink ranger walked slowly to the nearest cell, and the prisoners huddled away from her. She raised her hands in the air.

"Hi. Listen, I'm the pink power ranger. I've come here to rescue you from Rita and Zedd." She pointed behind her to Adam. "This is my teammate, the black power ranger. He's here to help you as well."

The prisoners looked at each other worriedly before nodding slowly. Kim smiled inside her helmet.

"Good."

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Gamma Team**

**Western Corridor**

**12:23 PM**

"Do you like my new toy?"

"What is it?" asked Squatt.

Baboo jumped happily. "Finster made me a flute. But not just any flute… this one has magical powers."

"Really?" asked Squatt in mild fascination.

Rocky rolled his eyes from his vantage point nearby. _'They're incredibly stupid.'_

Tommy snorted. _'Even Rita and Zedd need to have a laugh every now and then.'_

'_I guess. Seeking world domination must be ever so tiring,'_ said the red ranger.

"Well, come on! Let's hear it!" yelled Squatt excitedly.

Baboo made a face. "I don't know… Finster gave strict instructions not to use it indoors."

"But Finster's not around to know," pointed out Squatt.

Baboo considered this before smiling. "Okay." Squatt clapped his hands together in anticipation.

Taking a deep breath, Baboo blew into the mouthpiece of the flute.

Tommy and Rocky suddenly fell to their knees, hands holding their heads as a high-pitched noise rang in their ears.

Baboo and Squatt turned at the sound of bodies hitting the floor, surprised to see the red and white power rangers nearby.

"Hey! Where did you come from?" asked Squatt.

Tommy blinked rapidly, eyes on the two creatures before him. He looked down at his body, surprised to see his white spandex suit. The noise had broken their concentration, turning them visible.

"It doesn't matter. We must alert our masters," said Baboo.

"No," Rocky whispered before climbing to his feet, rushing Baboo before he could run. Tommy jumped up as well, grabbing hold of Squatt.

"Where are Zedd and Rita?" growled Tommy. His head was still ringing from the noise.

"Please don't hurt us," pleaded Squatt.

Rocky lifted Baboo in the air. "Answer the question."

The two said nothing, and Tommy spun Squatt around, putting him in a headlock.

"If you don't talk, I will snap your neck."

Rocky put Baboo in a similar position, and the henchman tried desperately to free himself.

"Okay, okay," he wheezed, his windpipe crushing under Rocky's strength. "Rita and Zedd are upstairs in the main chamber. Zedd is recharging right now, so Rita's the only one awake."

"See? Wasn't that simple?" asked Rocky. Baboo breathed a sigh of relief.

A loud crack caught the red ranger's attention, and he grimaced upon seeing a lifeless Squatt in Tommy's arms. The white ranger carefully laid the creature on the ground in a sitting position, closing his eyes.

Baboo let out a loud wail at the sight of his fallen friend. "You said if we talked you would leave us alone!"

Tommy shook his head. "No. I said if you didn't talk, I would snap your neck. I never said anything about letting you live if you did."

"Sorry," said Rocky before jerking his arm roughly, ending the creature's life.

Tommy looked around. _'We need to hide their bodies. And fast. No one can know we're here.'_

Each grabbed a body, dragging it down the corridor.

'_You heard what he said? Zedd's recharging,'_ said Rocky.

'_Yeah,'_ said Tommy. _'Which makes our mission a lot easier.'_

_

* * *

_

**Lunar Palace**

**Alpha Team**

**Holding Cells**

**12:59 PM**

Adam closed the door of the last prison cell, ushering the frightened people towards Kimberly.

"**Alpha** **1 to Beta 2, we've freed the prisoners.**"

"**Excellent**," said Billy. Adam could hear clicking on Billy's end.

"**I just deactivated the Lunar Palace's defensive systems. Alpha should be able to teleport the prisoners from the rendezvous point in the cave.**"

"**All right. We're heading out now**," replied Kimberly.

She turned to Adam. "You lead them out and I'll take up the rear?"

He nodded. "Okay. Everyone, follow me." The black ranger moved to the front of the group. "We're going to crawl through this hole here." He pointed at the vent at the base of the wall. "It's dark in there, but you won't be down there long."

He smiled, though they couldn't see it. "The pink ranger and I will be with you every step of the way."

"Absolutely," said Kim softly. "And once we get through, we will teleport you back to Earth where you'll be returned home."

"Okay," said Adam, getting to his hands and knees. "Let's go."

Adam had begun to crawl into the hole when he heard a sickening thud behind him. Moving quickly to his feet, he was shocked to see Kimberly lying unconscious on the ground. Adam pushed through the crowd in order to check on his friend.

"Kim," he whispered softly, turning her over. There was blood on her hairline.

"What ha-"

Adam was suddenly staring at the silver blade of a long sword. The holder tapped the sword against the black ranger's chin.

"Up."

Slowly, Adam let go of Kimberly before rising to his feet. He met the red eyes of Goldar.

"The crane's coming with me," he snarled.

Adam swallowed thickly. "Let her go, Goldar. You won't be able to get away with this."

Goldar grinned. "You're in no position to make threats, black ranger."

"As soon as the others find out, you're dead."

Goldar laughed loudly. "They won't find out… you won't be alive to tell them."

Goldar dropped his sword from Adam's throat, and the black ranger lunged at him, only to be restrained from behind.

Confusedly, Adam looked back at the prisoners only to find putties where they once were. He tugged hard, but there were too many holding him at once.

"This was a trap," he hissed.

The gold-plated warrior rolled his eyes. "Figure that out all by yourself, did you? And here I thought earthlings were stupid." Bending down, Goldar lifted Kimberly effortlessly over his shoulder.

"Where are the real prisoners?" he asked.

Goldar grinned. "Their corpses are rotting a few miles from here. I'd be happy to let you join them," he offered.

Adam felt a wave of sickness hit him. He turned his gaze to Kimberly. "You know Tommy will come after you!" shouted Adam.

Goldar turned back to face the black ranger. "That's the point." He wore a sardonic grin. "Now if you'll excuse me, Kimmie and I need to get to Serpentera."

Adam watched as the cackling Goldar disappeared into the darkness with Kimberly, anger and dread filling him.

Adam twisted violently against the putties, startling them enough to loosen their grip. He moved quickly, performing a roundhouse kick to the chest of one before flipping away.

Adam called on his saber, energizing it so that it cackled with blue energy. He expertly fought the putties but quickly realized he was overwhelmed; there were just too many to fight on his own and fighting them was just a waste of valuable time. Thinking quickly, Adam ran away from them into the shadows, forcing them to follow.

He morphed into his frog form, hidden by the darkness and smoke as they searched for him. Jumping alongside the wall of the room, Adam avoided their large feet, heading quickly to the vent he and Kimberly came through.

Adam jumped down the vent, returning to his human form once he made it to the other side. He rested against the wall of the cave, breathless from exerting so much energy.

"**Tommy, come in**," he called. He got no response.

"**Rocky! Billy!**" he tried. "**Aisha!**"

The only sound Adam could hear was faint static.

"Fuck!" he shouted in frustration, punching the wall behind him angrily.

If he couldn't contact the others via their com-link, he would have to find them on his own.

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Beta Team**

**Security Room**

**1:05 PM**

"**I just deactivated the Lunar Palace's defensive systems. Alpha should be able to teleport the prisoners from the rendezvous point in the cave.**"

"**All right. We're heading out now**," came Kimberly's voice.

Billy turned to Aisha.

'_How are Tommy and Rocky?'_

She sighed. _'Aside from the run in with Squatt and Baboo? They're good. A few putties here and there, but they've managed to remain unseen. This mission is going a lot better than I thought it would.'_

'_Yeah,'_ said Billy with a frown.

'_Almost too well,' _he thought to himself.

Aisha interrupted those thoughts. _'I'm going to go set the charges. Keep in contact with Rocky and Tommy for me.'_

'_Sure.'_

Aisha grabbed her pack off the floor, walking out of the security room.

"**Aisha, I'm going to need you to stay visible. I can watch out for your position onscreen.**"

The yellow ranger suddenly appeared on the upper left screen, brown backpack in hand. She placed a charge on a set of pipes, before moving across the room to another.

"**Gamma 2 to Beta team**," came Rocky's voice.

"**I read you, Gamma 2**," replied Billy.

"**We are located outside of the kitchen. There are three paths to choose from. Which one?**"

Billy glanced quickly at the cameras to check on Aisha before responding.

"**Give me a second to pull up the blueprints.**"

Clicking rapidly, Billy's blue eyes scanned the map on his screen. "**Where are you trying to go?**"

"**The throne room. Rita and Zedd are there, but Zedd is recharging**."

"**A most fortuitous turn of events. Take the corridor to your left.**" He heard shuffling. "**You should see a staircase**."

"**Yeah**," replied Tommy.

"**Take the staircase up two flights and you should be outside of a large bedroom. I'm assuming the master bedroom. Turn left once you get there and head up an inclined corridor. You should enter the rear of the main chamber**."

"**Sweet**," said Rocky. "**Thanks, Billy. Gamma out.**"

Billy turned his attention back to the cameras above. "**Aisha, I lost you.**"

"**I'm** **setting the last charge now. I'm outside of the chamber to the far right.**"

Billy searched the screens before locating her. "**I can't see you that well behind that pillar. The camera is at an odd angle.**"

"**No worries**," she responded. "**I'll be done in about ten seconds. Just have to activate the charges.**"

Motion on another screen caught Billy's eye. "**Aisha...**"

"**Two seconds.**"

Billy peered closely at the camera before his eyes widened. He could make out a shadow.

"**Aisha, you need to leave.**"

The shadow vanished, moving as a blur from screen to screen.

"**Aisha! Get out of there! Something's headed for you!**"

The blue ranger blinked when the shadow disappeared suddenly.

"**Billy, I don't see any** –"

A loud pained scream over their link chilled Billy to the bone.

"**AISHA! AISHA! Shit!**" he swore.

Billy watched horrified as Scorpina appeared suddenly on the screen, her long tail wrapped tightly around Aisha's limp body. At her side were several putties, all moving sporadically.

She mouthed something quickly to them before walking out of the camera frame. Billy looked frantically at the other screens to see where his friend disappeared to but could not find her.

Billy quickly began unhooking his computer, gathering his stuff into his pack. He needed to get out of the boiler room. If Aisha set the charges, that meant he had exactly three minutes to get out of there before the place went sky high.

More importantly, he needed to get out of there and find his friend.

As he prepared to notify his teammates of what happened, Billy froze, ears catching the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.

Billy looked around wildly before taking a deep breath. Scorpina captured Aisha, which meant she knew the rangers were there. There was no longer any point in remaining invisible or trying to sneak around.

Billy stood next to the door, ready to attack whoever walked through. He heard the soft click as the door opened, and he summoned his broadswords in preparation.

"Billy? 'Sha?"

The blue ranger stopped himself from delivering a deadly blow to the neck of the black ranger, who looked horrified at the realization that he was nearly decapitated.

"Adam?" asked Billy in disbelief.

The black ranger nodded vigorously. "We have a problem."

"You took the words right out of my mouth."

* * *

**Lunar Palace**

**Gamma Team**

**Throne Room**

**1:46 PM**

Tommy and Rocky walked slowly up the corridor to the throne room, pausing when they heard Rita's loud voice screech.

They felt the ground beneath their feet shake suddenly, a sign that the charges went off.

"Finster!"

The small white creature ran to her. "Yes, mistress?"

"What's that ruckus? Did something break downstairs?"

Finster shook his head. "I'm not sure. I will have my putties investigate right away."

Rocky held back a snort. _'Can't investigate anything if they're blown to smithereens…'_

She sighed. "I'm bored. When's Zeddy waking up?"

"Technically, he should have woken up by now. However, I believe he will wake up momentarily."

"Will he be awake in two hours?" she asked.

Finster nodded slowly. "He should be."

Rita smiled. "Good. I've been without him too long. Go check on him for me. Make sure he's okay."

"Right away, your evil one," he said before scurrying off to Lord Zedd.

Tommy nudged Rocky, pointing in Finster's direction; Rocky nodded in understanding.

The two followed behind the Claydoian, letting him lead them to Lord Zedd.

They entered a room off to the side in the back, filled with smoke and hundreds of electrical wires. Finster moved over to a large machine, which was hooked up to a slumbering Lord Zedd.

The creature mumbled to himself several times as he checked over his master, shaking his head in confusion. "I'm not quite sure why you haven't regained consciousness, but hopefully you will come to in the next two hours. Rita is most distraught without your presence."

Finster walked out of the room, leaving a sleeping Zedd alone with the red and white rangers.

Tommy searched around the room for the silver 'Z' staff. Zedd was too power-hungry to let that be away from him, even in his sleep.

'_There,'_ said Rocky pointing across the room. Resting against the wall on the far side of the room was Zedd's staff.

The red ranger ran over quickly, grabbing the object. Carefully, he removed the shard from the staff with his gloved hand and placed it in his pack.

'_That should do it.'_

Tommy walked over to Zedd's sleeping form, his war-scythe in his hand.

'_T?'_

The white ranger tightened his grip on the weapon. _'If I don't kill him now… this will never end.'_

'_But we have the shard, Tommy.'_

The white ranger shook his head. _'We take the shard; we cut off Zedd's power supply. He still has power. The Imanyd energy is still in him, it's just limited now.'_

'_So you're going to kill him? This is murder.'_

'_It's no different than what we do on a regular basis.'_

'_Yes it is,'_ argued Rocky. _'You're not killing in self-defense or defense in general. You're going to gut him while he's sleeping. Tommy…'_

'_Rocky, if I don't do this… our lives are over. We will never be at peace; we can never have normal lives.'_

'_But this isn't the way to do it.'_

Tommy turned angrily to look at his friend. _'We're in a fucking war, Rocky! I didn't ask for this! None of us did. As long as this war continues, people are going to die, both innocent and guilty. We don't have time for this - everyone's downstairs investigating the boiler room. I have the opportunity to end this and I'm taking it.'_

He raised the scythe high over Zedd's body.

'_Judge me if you want to.'_

Tommy brought down the weapon quickly, only to gasp when a hand stopped it during its descent. Lord Zedd sat up slowly, shaking his head as he looked the white ranger in the face. Zedd grabbed Tommy by the chest, yanking him close to his face.

"You take too long to make a move, white ranger," he snarled before hurling the stunned teen across the room. Tommy landed in a crumpled heap.

Zedd turned to Rocky. "I believe you have something of mine, and I want it back."

Rocky stood stunned, immensely confused.

"Y-You can see us?"

Zedd stood then, laughing hysterically.

"What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I can see you. I'm addressing you, aren't I?"

Rocky's red suit suddenly appeared in the room.

"But how? We're supposed to be–"

"Invisible?" finished Lord Zedd. "You were."

Rocky looked behind Zedd, watching as Tommy slowly climbed to his feet. He needed to keep the being distracted.

"You used the shard to become invisible, correct?"

Rocky nodded numbly.

"I can see the energy patterns of the shard just like you can, red ranger. Probably even more so because my shard has been in my possession longer."

"So when we were here last time…"

Zedd snorted. "You didn't actually think I didn't see you bumbling idiots slinking around my palace?"

Tommy held his scythe in his hand, anger filling his body.

"Those three were walking around here in clear sight. Rita and I first noticed them on the balcony of the throne room. It was apparent that they thought we couldn't see them from their ridiculous crouching and the lack of childish taunts that you usually engage in when battling. So we let them live in order to see what they were trying to accomplish."

Zedd sighed in boredom. "When Scorpina told us about the bashed in pipes in the boiler room, coupled with Finster's conveniently missing blueprints and the broken vents… it didn't take a genius to figure out you were planning an invasion."

"So this whole time… it was just a trap," said Rocky lowly.

Zedd laughed, moving towards Rocky and grabbing his staff off the wall. "Don't sound so sad about it. You gave it a valiant effort."

He stood before Rocky, inches between them. "Why do you think there was little to no trouble getting up here? No security? The only real obstacles in your way were really Baboo and Squatt, who I'm sure you disposed of. We wanted to give you a taste of victory before you met defeat."

Zedd let out a laugh. "We've known you were here since the beginning of your little mission."

Rocky shook his head. "All of you?"

"Rita and I knew from your first time here. We were the ones that could actually see you. We've planned for your return since then, and once Rita caught sight of you running to the palace earlier, everyone was put on alert."

Rocky shook his head. "Why did you let Squatt and Baboo die?"

Tommy was closing in on Zedd from behind. _'Just keep him talking, Rock.'_

"They were expendable," he said simply. "They were unaware of the plan because they weren't smart enough to keep it to themselves. I'm sure they told you where we were."

Rocky had to concede to his point. "They said you were recharging."

"I was… a week ago. I knew you would come after me first if I was… preoccupied. And I was right." Zedd shook his head. "How sickeningly predictable."

"When we came in the room, Rita saw us," realized Rocky.

"Oh yes. When she sent Finster in here, I knew you were coming. The number of hours was the signal for how many of you were coming into my room."

Rocky shook his head in disbelief.

Zedd's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, and Rocky could feel the power radiating from his body in waves.

"Now, hand me my shard, boy, or your death will be more painful than anything you could imagine."

Tommy swung his scythe at Zedd's back, sinking it deep into his flesh. Zedd let out a pained scream, falling quickly to his knees. The end of the scythe stuck through his chest, blood dripping onto Rocky's white boots.

Rocky watched as Tommy twisted the handle of the war-scythe, slicing through several muscles and ligaments.

Tommy yanked out the weapon, its tip now dripping with blood. "We need to go, now!"

The two ran down the hallway quickly, heading into the now empty room. Rocky put out a hand to stop Tommy from running.

"Someone's coming," he hissed. He could hear footsteps pounding up the staircase.

The two took up defensive stances, preparing for an attack.

The shadows along the wall grew in size, revealing two bodies in spandex suits, one in black and the other in blue.

"Where's Kim?" asked Tommy, calming once he saw Billy and Adam.

"And Aisha?" added Rocky.

"I think I have what you want," hissed a feminine voice from behind. Turning quickly, the boys saw Scorpina holding a barely moving Aisha in her arms, knife pressed against her chest over her heart.

Rocky jumped towards her, and Scorpina shook her head. "Now, red ranger, you wouldn't want your precious yellow ranger to meet an untimely end, would you?"

'_Sha, are you okay?'_ asked Rocky.

'_Just peachy,'_ came the sarcastic reply.

A shrill scream from the back of the throne room caught Scorpina's attention long enough for Aisha to slam her elbow into her stomach. Scorpina stumbled, and her knife caught Aisha in the back of the leg, making her fall.

Aisha crawled over to the guys, Rocky meeting her halfway. Growling angrily, Scorpina lashed out at Aisha with her tail, wrapping it around the yellow ranger's leg and yanking hard.

"No!" shouted Rocky. He called on the power of the ape, tugging Aisha towards him.

Tommy grabbed hold of Aisha's other flailing arm, while Adam ran over, calling on his saber. He swung quickly, cutting off Scorpina's tail. The warrior screamed in agony, and the red and white rangers fell back with a thud, Aisha on top of them.

"YOU!" shouted Rita, charging at the rangers angrily with her staff.

"What did you guys do to piss her off?" asked Adam warily.

The other three stood suddenly, Aisha favoring her right leg. Tommy laughed. "She found Zedd."

Rita screamed, sending a large bolt of energy at Tommy. He jumped out of the way at the last second, crouching low to the ground.

"What's wrong Rita? Don't like what I did to your hubby?"

Her eyes flashed red, and she sent another blast his way. "You will pay for this, white ranger."

From the back of the room came Rito, a bloodied Zedd resting heavily against him, staff in hand.

"Get him out of here," she ordered. "I'll take care of these children myself."

She looked down on the floor to see the bloodied Scorpina. Eyes glowing blue, Rita pointed her staff at her fallen warrior, reconnecting her tail as her body was engulfed in blue light.

Scorpina rose to her feet, black eyes dancing with mischief as she looked at the rangers. "Let's try this again." Her tail moved rapidly behind her, and she held a sword in hand.

Rita snapped her long fingers and another sword appeared in Scorpina's other hand.

She pointed at Adam. "Let's go, black ranger."

Adam's grip on his saber tightened before he charged at Scorpina, using his weapon to block her vicious blows.

"I'll help Adam," said Rocky. "Billy, can you heal Aisha?" The blue ranger nodded, dropping to his knees as his hands hovered over her slashed leg.

Tommy ran at Rita, seeing her preparing to attack Billy. He did a roundhouse kick to her chest, knocking her onto her back. The white ranger jumped on top of her, attempting to wrestle the staff out of her hands.

"Shit!" yelled Rocky as Scorpina slashed him deep on his back.

She laughed, kicking Adam in the face before sweeping him off his feet. "Give up yet?"

Rocky shook his head angrily. "Fuck you."

Aisha shook her leg out hesitantly, happy to see that it was now fully healed.

"Thanks, Billy," she said.

"No problem." He glanced to his right, watching as Rita pressed her staff against Tommy throat, effectively suffocating him.

"You will pay for what you did to my husband, white ranger," she hissed. "I'm going to enjoy watching you die."

Tommy's vision began to darken, her hold on the staff too strong for him to fight against. The faint sound of a growl hit him before Rita suddenly disappeared off of him. Tommy coughed violently; desperately sucking in the oxygen he was previously deprived of.

Through bleary eyes he was able to see Rita on the ground, a snarling gray wolf on her back.

Billy.

The wolf tore viciously at her dress, sinking its teeth into her tender flesh. Rita grabbed hold of its throat, throwing it savagely across the room where it crumpled, turning back into the white ranger.

Billy rose to his feet unsteadily, shaking his head of the dizzying effect before he caught sight of Rita heading for her staff. With all his strength, Billy ran at her full speed, sending them both flying to the ground. They rolled across the floor of the main chamber, and he furiously punched at her face.

Tommy looked across the floor to see Rita's staff lying there, and quickly clambered to it. Pulling it close, he looked into the red orb, seeing the faint glow of the Imanyd shard. Tommy lifted the staff high above his head before slamming it into the ground, red pieces of glass flying everywhere.

"NO!" screamed Scorpina, and she wrapped her tail around Tommy's throat, pulling him backwards.

Aisha ran towards her friend, only for him to stop her and point down at the ground frantically.

'_Get the shard!'_

Aisha quickly searched through the pieces on the ground, yelping when she found the small blue crystal. She grabbed it, running over to Rocky's discarded backpack and putting it inside.

Outside of the main chamber, a thunderous mechanical noise was heard, followed by a terrifying roar. The Lunar Palace began to shake suddenly, sending the occupants to their knees. The jolt made Scorpina break her concentration, and she lost her hold on the nearly unconscious white ranger.

Next to the balcony hovering in midair was Serpentera, its red eyes glowing menacingly in the darkness. The door to the enormous zord suddenly swung open, a laughing Goldar coming into view.

Rito ran over to the gold-plated warrior. "Take Zedd, he's in bad shape."

Goldar growled angrily at the sight of his hurt master, the gaping hole in his chest."Who did this?"

"W-white ranger," said Zedd faintly. Goldar snarled, pulling Zedd's weak body into the zord.

Rito clambered in next, standing in the doorway. "We need to get outta here! This place is useless to us now. Sis, let's GO!" he yelled to Rita.

Scorpina roughly slashed Rocky across the chest before kicking him in the thigh. She grabbed the fallen black ranger off the ground, nails digging into the gaping wound on his side. He let out a cry of pain.

"This isn't over."

Billy lay unconscious on the floor nearby; Rita had sent a large bolt of energy directly at him, effectively shocking him. The front of his uniform was completely black.

She turned her gaze onto the yellow ranger. "Your turn," she hissed.

Aisha called on her butterfly knives, hiding them behind her back. "Stay away from me, Rita."

"Where is my shard?" she screamed, her eyes manic.

Aisha looked behind Rita, watching as Tommy crawled slowly over to Billy to check on him.

Seeing that the yellow ranger was momentarily distracted, Rita grabbed her, lifting her into the air. "I will not ask again," she snarled, throwing Aisha into the wall roughly.

Aisha refused to speak, increasing Rita's ire. As she was about to send a bolt of energy at Aisha, she caught sight of the blue backpack huddled in the corner. Using the power bestowed upon her by the Imanyd, Rita smiled when she saw the two shards inside.

"Mine."

Seeing Rita head for the pack, Aisha jumped up quickly, tackling Rita from behind. She stabbed viciously at the witch's back, and Rita's screams reverberated off the wall as Aisha's knives tore her open.

Aisha flew off of Rita when Scorpina delivered a vicious punch to her face. Scorpina let out a cry at her fallen mistress, scooping her up as well as the pack before running for Serpentera.

Goldar laughed at the bloodied and bruised rangers.

"You have failed, rangers. Unsurprisingly," he taunted.

Tommy glared angrily at Goldar. Billy was now conscious, although somewhat out of it.

"Aren't you missing something, white ranger?" Goldar asked snidely, disappearing before emerging again, pulling Kimberly into view.

Tommy's blood ran cold at the sight of her limp form.

"Close the hatch," Goldar ordered, and the door to Serpentera slowly lifted.

Tommy turned to Billy. "Get the zords and follow them. That's an order."

Billy cocked his head to the side. "Tommy, what are you –" Tommy took off full speed for Serpentera.

"TOMMY!" shouted Billy, watching in horror as his best friend leapt into the large zord.

"He won't make it in there alone," said Aisha.

"He won't be alone," said Adam, favoring his wounded side. _'I let you down before, Kim. I'm not letting it happen again.'_

"Adam, wait!" yelled Billy.

The black ranger took off behind Tommy, landing inside of Serpentera before the hatch closed.

"Fuck!" shouted Rocky, now standing on wobbly legs. "We need to get out of here and go after them." He rested against the wall tiredly.

Aisha moved over to her boyfriend, hands resting on his chest as she healed him. She turned him around, doing the same to his back. "She cut you pretty deep, I'm not sure if healing you this way is a good idea."

"It's not," said Billy. "But it's the only choice we have at the moment."

Serpentera gave a loud roar as it turned away from the Lunar Palace, engines deafening as it prepared to take off.

"Shit," swore Aisha. She ran to the balcony, jumping over the edge. Billy and Rocky ran over in panic, watching as she landed on ground with a thud.

"If she hasn't broken anything, I'll be surprised," muttered Billy. Running back, he leapt over the side of the balcony as well, Rocky only a few seconds behind him.

They landed painfully on the ground, ignoring their obvious injuries as they ran for the zords. Rocky looked overhead, panicking as he saw Serpentera gaining speed. Billy ran behind him as fast as he could, struggling to keep up as his breathing become irregular; he was aware of his heart palpitations as he pushed forward.

The three ran quickly to their zords, using their Imanyd energy to give them the strength to ignore the pain in their bodies.

Rocky made it to his zord first, opening the door quickly as he jumped inside, tearing his helmet off his head.

"Engines on," he yelled, and the Apezord came to life.

"**You guys in?**" he asked.

"**Yeah**," said Aisha.

"**Affirmative**," said Billy, and he firmly gripped the controls of the Wolfzord, forcing his hands to stop shaking.

"**Okay… let's see. Billy, is there a way to pilot the other zords through our own?**" asked Rocky.

"**I-I don't know. Theoretically, I would imagine there is. Given that we are all Ninjetti, we should be indirectly linked with each other's zords.**"

"**I'm going to test it out with Adam's zord.**" Closing his eyes, Rocky focused his energy on his Ninjetti spirit and Adam's.

'_Come on,'_ Rocky urged. Seeing first the ape then the black frog in his mind's eyes, Rocky opened his now blue eyes, confused when he saw himself inside the Frogzord before smiling. "Sweet."

"**Guys**," he called out. "**Concentrate on your animal spirit and find theirs. Once you connect, you should be able to pilot their zord.**"

Several seconds passed before the crane and falcon zords came online.

"**All right, time to bring them together**," said Rocky.

"We need Ninja Falcon Megazord power, now!"

The zords began to transform, locking together to form the Megazord. Rocky sat at the pilot seat.

"Billy, start the engines. Aisha, turn all weapons and defense shields online." He lifted the Megazord slowly into the air. "Time to bring them back."

* * *

**Serpentera**

**4:04 PM**

Scorpina and Rito roughly grabbed the black and white rangers by the scruff of their necks, tossing them deeper into Serpentera.

"Pilot Serpentera," she ordered Rito. "And when you're not doing that, check on Rita and Zedd. Goldar and I can handle the runts."

"Be mindful of how you speak to me," he hissed before heading to the lower levels.

"You're dumber than I thought, falcon. To walk on board Serpentera is suicide," commented Goldar.

Tommy clambered to his feet, scythe in hand. "I used this on your boss already. I'm ready for you."

Growling, Goldar tossed Kimberly to the ground, pulling his sword from his sheath. He swung at Tommy angrily, and the white ranger down, slamming the handle of his scythe into Goldar's stomach. "Come on, Goldy."

Adam crawled along the floor, making his way to Kimberly. _'Kimmie, please, wake up,_' he pleaded telepathically.

A long blade landed in front of his face, and his eyes trailed upward to meet the maniacal grin of Scorpina.

"Going somewhere?"

Tommy huffed furiously inside his helmet as Goldar's sword came down upon him, his scythe stopping the deadly blow.

"You get angry when your darling pink ranger is in trouble, falcon." Goldar snarled. "She'll make a delicious pet once I kill you."

Shouting angrily, Tommy used his Imanyd energy to charge his scythe, twisting quickly as he slammed the blade into Goldar's thigh.

The beast howled in agony, slamming the butt of his sword into Tommy's face, breaking the visor. Tommy panicked, fearing he wouldn't be able to breathe. Taking a cautious breath, he realized there was some oxygen in the air. Why or how long, he didn't want to find out.

Scorpina roughly kicked Adam in the stomach, forcing the breath from his body. She whipped her tail around, shooting him with a bolt of energy that left him twitching on the ground, pain radiating from his back.

"Get up, you pathetic excuse for a warrior," she hissed.

She pointed at Kimberly with her sword. The black ranger shuddered slightly, eyes stinging from the pain in his body. "This is what you came for? The pink ranger?" She held her blade close to Kim's neck. "Sickening."

Adam rushed her suddenly, slamming her body onto the ground before raining blows across her face. Scorpina dug her nails into his wounded side, shoving him off of her. She tasted the blood inside her mouth, spitting it out on the metallic floor.

"Someone's got spirit."

Adam shook his head slowly, eyes catching the blue backpack on the other side of the room. Adam crawled towards, but not before Scorpina wrapped her tail along his leg, stopping him from moving. Adam summoned his saber in his hand before he screamed in agony, writhing on the floor. Sticking out of Adam's right arm were several circular blades, rendering it useless.

Adam groaned painfully at the sight of his wounded arm. The white on his power uniform was now crimson as his blood soaked through his arm.

"And now… you die," she hissed.

Adam's vision began to blur as her sword came down on him, and he readied himself for the piercing sensation.

But it never came.

Looking up, Adam saw a frozen Scorpina, eyes wide. She coughed suddenly, blood spilling over her lips before she fell to her knees.

Kimberly stood behind her, bloody sai in her hands. Scorpina fell forward then, head falling to rest on Adam's stomach. He saw the blood seeping from the holes in her back and neck.

Adam looked confusedly at the body of the pink ranger lying on the ground a few feet.

"Decoy," she said simply.

Kim kicked Scorpina's dead body off of Adam, her blank eyes staring up at the ceiling.

"I really, _really _hate that bitch."

Adam gave a weak laugh. "I've never been happier to see you in all my life."

Kim leaned down, resting a hand on his chest. "You're in bad shape," she murmured softly before slowly helping him sit up to rest against the wall.

Adam breathed heavily. "Rocky's pack… it has the shards," he grunted.

Kimberly found the pack a few feet away and clutched it in her hand. "We need to get you out of here," she said worriedly.

"You first."

Kim let out an exasperated sigh. "Adam, now isn't the time to fight me. You're seriously injured and I can't heal you properly if you're this badly hurt."

Adam gasped harshly. "I can't… I can't breathe… I can't breathe!"

"Adam! Adam, please, calm down!" she grabbed the sides of his helmet, taking it off his head. The black ranger took in a deep breath of air, his heart rate calming. His face showed his confusion.

"I don't know why there's oxygen here, just that my scanner's detected it in the atmosphere. Let's be grateful," she said with a smile. If she had to guess, it was probably to keep prisoners alive. They often kidnapped people on Serpentera… prisoners were of no use if they suffocated.

Adam watched her with tired eyes. "Kim, you need to leave."

She shook her head. "Not happening."

"Listen to me," he said, grabbing her with his good arm. "Tommy and I came here for you. Don't make this rescue attempt be one in vain."

She stared at him sadly through her helmet.

"Take the shards and get outta here. Please."

* * *

**Ninja Falcon Megazord**

**Rocky, Billy, and Aisha**

**4:29 PM**

"Is it just me… or is Serpentera fucking huge?"

Billy shook his head at his friend's language. "Your assertion is correct, Rocky. Serpentera is the largest zord in the universe."

"We look like a toy next to this thing," said Aisha. "We can't take it out."

Rocky fired lasers at the zord, and they disappeared into the defensive shield. "Can you contact the others?" he asked Billy.

The blue ranger shook his head, ignoring the tingling sensation across his torso. "Negative. The shield is blocking their frequency. Nothing can get in or out of there as long as it's up."

Rocky ran a hand through his hair. Attacking Serpentera was basically suicide. Whatever defense systems the Megazord may have, he doubted it could withstand too many blows from Serpentera.

But they had to try.

"We're going for that shield." Rocky pressed several buttons. "Billy, can you find out how much damage we're causing them when we hit?"

"It's possible."

"Good. Do it. Aisha, are all weapons online?"

She nodded.

"Alright." Rocky moved to the back left of the large zord.

'_Someone was truly compensating for something they lacked when they built this,' _he thought wryly.

"Rockets away!"

The rangers held their breaths in anticipation as the rockets were engulfed in green light.

"Their shields are down to 94%," said Billy. He did the calculations in his head. "We can probably get by if we reduce it to about 30%. Possibly 40. But that would take an extensive amount of artillery, perhaps even all of it." Billy coughed suddenly, gritting his teeth as his chest radiated pain.

Considering Billy's words, Rocky cracked his fingers. "We're firing everything."

* * *

**Serpentera**

**Kimberly, Adam, and Tommy**

**4:51 PM**

"I can't leave, Adam. Not while you're in this condition and Tommy's fighting Goldar." She grabbed the pack. "And you only have two shards. I'm not leaving until we have all three."

Adam struggled to get to his feet, Kimberly helping him as he stood.

"The third shard has to be here… on his sword," he muttered, pointing at Goldar.

"It's not," she said softly. "When Goldar captured me I got an up close and personal view of his sword. There's no shard."

Goldar cackled loudly as he ducked Tommy's blow. "Getting tired, falcon?"

"Shut up and fight," yelled Tommy before kicking Goldar in the thigh, sending him to his knees.

He kicked the sword out of Goldar's hand, and it skid across the floor.

A loud boom on the side of Serpentera rocked its passengers, sending everyone crashing into the wall.

"… do…. come… help… now…" came through in Tommy's ear.

"What?"

Goldar grabbed Tommy's leg, knocking him onto his back. He picked up the white ranger by his suit, throwing him hard against the wall.

"You will pay for everything you and your friends have done today, white ranger," said Goldar coldly, his hands crushing Tommy's windpipe.

'_What's with everyone choking me today?'_ he thought as his world went dark.

"No!" shouted Kimberly, and Goldar screamed as her sai slammed into his side. He dropped Tommy suddenly, yanking the offending weapon from his body.

"You'll pay for that."

Another boom shook Serpentera, and Rito's voice came across the intercom.

"Goldar, Scorpina, we have a problem. Those rangers are following us in their zords. They're blowing the shit out of us. Shields are down to 36%. I can't hit them – they're in a blind spot."

"**Guys! Guys! Can you read me?**" It was Billy.

"**We read you, Billy**," said Tommy from his position on the floor. His heart caught in his throat as he watched Kim and Adam square off against Goldar.

"**We've disabled Serpentera's shields for approximately five minutes. You have to teleport out while the shields are down. Once they go back up, you'll be trapped there. We have no more artillery to try again.**"

Adam howled painfully as Goldar twisted his injured arm before slamming it into the wall, the blades digging deeper into his flesh.

Kim punched Goldar forcefully in the face, and he grabbed her arm, turning her so that she was locked against him.

Goldar smiled at Tommy. The white ranger watched as Goldar held his girlfriend captive.

"Are you going to be her white knight, falcon? Save her from big bad Goldar?" He grinned, teeth bared.

Tommy felt his entire body shake, and from the eye revealed from his broken visor, Goldar saw them turn a pale blue. He threw Kimberly away from him roughly onto the floor, growling in anticipation.

"Come on!"

As Tommy's world changed to blue and green swirls, his pale blue eyes widened in shock. Peering closely, he saw Goldar's body was filled with Imanyd energy, and it was radiating from the center of him.

The last shard.

It wasn't on Goldar… it was _in _him.

"See something you like?" teased the feral creature.

Tommy summoned his bo staff, twirling it around his body. "This ends now."

Goldar grasped his sword tightly in his hand, giving a loud shout before running at Tommy. The white ranger charged his staff, wielding it expertly against Goldar's blows.

Tommy delivered a vicious uppercut to Goldar's stomach, following it up with a butterfly kick to the chest. Goldar staggered backwards, swinging again at the white ranger who sidestepped him before slamming his staff into Goldar's chin, causing him to flip unceremoniously onto his stomach.

Tommy stepped over the battered henchman, walking towards Kimberly and Adam. He didn't see Goldar get up to his feet from behind, sword in hand as he charged.

"Tommy!" yelled Kimberly.

He quickly dipped down, picking up her sai and turning in one smooth move, allowing Goldar to impale himself on the small weapon. Tommy watched as surprise filled the creature's eyes, and he quickly yanked the blade upward, carving a jagged slit along his abdomen.

Goldar gave a startled gasp when Tommy yanked the blade out, falling backwards as he looked up at the ceiling. The white ranger suddenly came into his view, and he screamed when Tommy reached inside his stomach, digging around for some time before pulling out the shiny blue shard.

He tossed it to a startled Kimberly who stared at him blankly. She slowly turned to the pack behind her, dropping the bloody third shard in with the others.

"**You have fifty seconds**," said Aisha.

Kim crawled over to Adam, shaking him lightly. "Adam, come on, we need to go."

The black ranger was unconscious, and Kim could not carry his full weight.

"You go," said Tommy tiredly. "I can get Adam. You take the shards."

Kim ran a hand over Adam's sleeping face before she stood suddenly, pack on her back.

"**Preparing for teleport**," she said.

"**We're ready for you**," said Aisha.

Kim felt the familiar sensation enveloping her body as she looked at Tommy.

'_I love you,'_ she said before disappearing in a flash of light.

"I love you, too," he whispered to himself.

"**Twenty seconds**," said Aisha with a sense of urgency.

Tommy limped over to Adam, pulling the shorter boy up slowly, an arm around his waist.

"Kim would kill me if I let anything happen to you," joked Tommy. "Let's go."

"'**Sha, we're ready**," he announced.

Tommy turned at the sound of heavy breathing behind him and was surprised to see Goldar still alive.

Goldar stood shakily as blood oozed from his stomach. His eyes were wild from pain and anger.

As blue light engulfed the rangers' bodies, Goldar let out a pained scream, thrusting his sword forward into the bright light. Tommy's eyes widened in shock as the blade got closer to them.

And then they were gone.

Goldar suddenly fell, drained of all energy as he rested against the cool floor of Serpentera.

He faintly heard footsteps approaching, followed by someone swearing violently.

"Goldar! Goldar! What happened?" It was Rito.

Goldar stared at his teammate before laughing hysterically, blood spilling forth from his lips.

His laughter turned into hacking coughs, and Rito watched as Goldar's eyes dimmed, all signs of life leaving him.

* * *

**Ninja Falcon Megazord**

**Full Team**

**5:07 PM**

A bright light flashed before Adam and Tommy materialized on the ship, both huddled over.

Aisha ran to them. "You guys okay?"

Kim placed a hand on Rocky's shoulder. "Get us the fuck outta here." She left the backpack at his side, running to check on Adam and Tommy.

"My pleasure," he said, setting the Megazord's destination back to Earth.

Adam fell forward, and Aisha let out a gasp at the sight of his back. The back of Adam's suit was gone, revealing charred flesh.

Billy ran over to the black ranger, examining his wounds. "We can't heal him here. I can't tell the extent of the damage and don't want to risk damaging his organs."

Adam suddenly demorphed, unable to maintain the power. His right arm was covered in blood, six of Scorpina's circular blades sticking through.

"Jesus," said Kim. She observed Adam's face. "He's still unconscious. Probably from the pain." She ran a hand through his hair, checking his pulse.

"It's strong but I wouldn't chance it. We need to get him back to the Medical Bay."

An agonized scream from their right startled them, and they turned to see Tommy holding a large bloody sword in his hand. The front of his white suit was covered in blood.

Goldar's sword.

"No," whispered Kimberly as she watched, horrified, as he fell over onto his side. She grabbed the sword and threw it angrily to the ground, eyes scanning his body. One brown eye was visible from his broken visor.

"Can you power down?" she asked.

Tommy grimaced before his suit disappeared, his now white and crimson muscle shirt in view. Kim carefully rolled up his shirt, and he lifted himself to allow her to roll the back of his shirt.

"Oh God," she said suddenly lightheaded. She was staring at a large hole in Tommy's abdomen, blood pouring out of it at an alarming rate.

Tommy nearly fainted at the sight of his wound, and Kim herself was hit with a wave of nausea.

Billy ripped off his helmet, blue eyes wide in disbelief.

"God dammit, Billy!" screamed Kimberly. "Stop standing there and _do_ something!"

The blue ranger dropped to his knees, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

"Oh God," moaned Kimberly, her body shaking as she pressed her small hands against her boyfriend's stomach.

Tommy winced, his jaw clenched tightly as the pain hit him in agonizing waves. "Kimberly," he groaned, his hands clenching her.

Kim could barely make out his face from the tears in her eyes. "You're going to be fine, okay? We're going to get you back and you'll be fine," she said shakily, tears streaming down her face.

She turned behind her. "Billy, please. If there was ever a moment when I needed you, when Tommy needed you, this is it."

Billy sat still.

"BILLY, SNAP THE FUCK OUT OF IT!" she screamed.

The blue ranger's eyes snapped towards her before trailing back to his fallen friend.

"Towels…" he said faintly. "I-I need towels, cloth… anything to press against the wound."

Rocky pressed several buttons on the control panel, eyes turning away from the gruesome sight of his friends. "ALPHA!"

"Yes, Rocky," came the robot's voice.

"We are coming in hot to the back of the Command Center. I need two stretchers ready for transport of two severely wounded passengers to the Medical Bay. Set up two rehabilitation chambers for immediate use."

"Understood."

Aisha moved quickly, grabbing the first aid kit off a nearby shelf and handing it to Billy. He threw open the box, letting out a frustrated sigh when there were no cloths to be found.

"Here," said Rocky suddenly, powering down so he was in normal clothes. Running to them, he quickly removed his shirt, ripping it to shreds and offering Billy the pieces.

"It's not the cleanest thing, but –" Billy cut him off, snatching the torn shirt from his friend.

Billy crawled over to his best friend. "Kim, I'm going to need you to apply pressure to his wound with this."

Kim grabbed the cloth, pressing it hard against Tommy's stomach. The white ranger gave a loud hiss.

The blue ranger moved near Tommy's head. "Tommy, look at me?"

Feverish brown eyes locked with frightened blue ones.

"I need you to talk to me, okay?"

Tommy nodded vigorously. "H-How you doin', Billy?"

Billy let out a choked laugh, glancing at the gray shirt on Tommy's stomach. The shirt was quickly darkening.

"Better than you are, apparently," he said in a pseudo-calm voice. "Always have to be the center of attention, don't you? Even on our last mission."

Tommy laughed, before coughing harshly. "Sh-Shut up, Billy."

The blue-eyed teen smiled sadly, grasping his friend's hand in his own. "You will be fine, Tommy. Once we get to the Command Center…"

Tommy snorted. "You're a terrible liar."

Billy shook his head. "What's that you always say? I'm always right?" He squeezed Tommy's hand. "I'm right now."

Tommy said nothing, and Billy grew worried at his weakening grip.

"Kim…" said Tommy softly, eyes closed as his head rested against the floor of the Ninja Megazord.

Aisha leaned down next to Kimberly, taking over for her. The pink ranger nodded gratefully, crawling along the floor to sit next to Tommy.

"H-Hey, beautiful," he said softly, eyes still closed.

She smiled. "How'd you know it was me?"

"I always know when you're near me," he whispered. Tommy opened his eyes then, his vision slightly blurry as Kim went in and out of focus. "I love you."

She sobbed hard then, hands cupping his face. "I love you, too."

Aisha removed the cloth from his stomach, replacing it with another dry one. The blood had soaked through.

"Rocky, can we get there any faster?" she shouted.

The red ranger's voice reached her frantically. "Two minutes. I'm taking her as fast as I can!"

Kim brushed a hand along Tommy's forehead. His skin had lost its color and felt clammy. "You're going to be okay," she whispered. "We're almost back at the Command Center. Just hang on a few minutes. Please."

Tommy nodded weakly. "I'll try. I don't want to leave y–" His body started shaking hard against the cold metal floor.

Kimberly grabbed the sides of his face. "Tommy, please…"

Billy checked his pulse before looking into his eyes. "He's going into shock. ROCKY!" he screamed.

"Thirty seconds!" yelled the red ranger. The Command Center was quickly growing larger as they neared the ground. Rocky could hear the strain on the metal of the zords. They were coming in way too fast to be safe, but that didn't matter.

They _needed_ to get to the Medical Bay.

Kim grabbed Tommy's other hand as his body convulsed violently against the floor. His hand shook in her grip.

She could barely see through her tears.

"Aisha, keep pressure on that wound!" yelled Billy. Tommy's grip on his hand was almost nonexistent.

"_PREPARE FOR LANDING IN TEN SECONDS_," came the computer's voice.

"_TEN_…"

"Come on, Tommy, you can do this," said Billy.

"_NINE_…"

Rocky's hands shook as he attempted to maintain control of the Megazord.

"_EIGHT_…"

"We're closing in guys," shouted Rocky. _'Please hang on, Tommy.'_

"_SEVEN_…"

Aisha felt tears in her eyes as she saw her leader and friend shake violently on the floor. Looking at Billy's face, she could tell the situation was very bad.

"_SIX_…"

Tommy's shaking began to lessen, turning from violent tremors to small shudders.

"_FiIVE_…"

Each passing second felt like an eternity to Billy, who noticed the glow in Tommy's eyes beginning to dim.

"_FOUR_…"

Kim pressed a kiss against Tommy's lips; they felt cold against hers.

"_THREE_…"

"I need you, Tommy," she whispered against his lips. "Please don't leave me."

"_TWO_…"

Tommy's body seized up suddenly. Billy watched in horror as his friend's body went lax, his hand falling from the blue ranger's grasp.

Lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling of the Megazord.

"_ONE_…"

The Megazord landed with a huge thud in the desert behind the Command Center, but Kimberly barely noticed. Her eyes were fixated on Tommy's, and she felt a deep sorrow fill her body as a scream ripped from the depths of her soul.

"TOMMY!"


	19. Chapter 18

_**Author's Note:** Next chapter ready for you to read. I know - I was a terrible person for ending the last chapter the way I did, but here's actually the rest of the chapter, LOL. Cliffhangers are wonderful things. Hope you enjoy! Please read and review. :) And for those wondering - no, Shards of Darkness is not quite over yet._

* * *

Rocky jumped up from the control panel, not bothering to check on the condition of the Megazord. He passed Tommy's body on the floor; Kimberly hunched over him crying loudly, her helmet on the ground next to her.

'_Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!'_ he thought to himself.

Throwing the door open, Rocky jumped down from the Megazord, wincing when he felt the strain in his muscles. He definitely pulled something. _'Really should've just teleported.'_

Running as fast as he could, Rocky called in on his communicator. "Alpha, where are you with those stretchers?"

"I'm in the Medical Bay. I'll teleport them to your position right now."

Rocky gave a loud cry of happiness as the two stretchers materialized before him.

"Billy!" he yelled in his communicator. "Bring Adam and Tommy!"

On the Megazord, Billy sat frozen next to his friend's body holding Tommy's limp hand in his own. The only sound registering to him was Kim's faint sobs as she begged Tommy to open his eyes.

"**Billy, come in!**"

Aisha stood off to the side, her heart heavy as she saw Billy and Kim react to Tommy's lifeless body. She ran over to the blue ranger, forcibly grabbing his face to turn him towards her. The sorrow she saw swimming in his blue eyes made her flinch, and she forced herself to press forward.

"Billy, we need to go," she whispered.

He opened his mouth to speak, no words coming out. She was suddenly reminded of the lost little boy in the sandbox she knew from years ago.

"I'm going to teleport Adam down to Rocky. I need you to pull it together and get Tommy."

"He's dead," he whispered hoarsely. "He's dead. We can't bring him back."

Aisha closed her eyes, refusing to let herself believe the words coming from Billy's mouth. The body-wracking sobs of the pink ranger were the only sounds she could hear.

"He's not dead," she said firmly. Billy shook his head sadly, and Aisha growled in anger.

"You're so quick to count him out, are you? You're his best friend. You know Tommy better than that!" she shouted, startling the blue ranger.

"His heart stopped. That's all." She grabbed Billy roughly by the chin. "Use that brain of yours right now and tell me we can save him."

Billy blinked rapidly, eyes moving back to his fallen friend. Running a hand through his hair, Billy began to mutter to himself, forcing himself to think rationally.

"Five minutes," he whispered.

"What?" asked Aisha.

"We have… we have five minutes before he's actually dead. Well, less now… if we can restart his heart within that amount of time, he has a chance." He made eye contact with Aisha, and she was happy to see a spark of hope in his.

"Kim," he said softly, and the pink ranger turned to him numbly, eyes bloodshot and swollen from crying.

"We need… can you perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Tommy? It's the only chance we have." Billy flexed his fingers subconsciously. "We need to get his heart beating again. Now."

"**What's happening**?" came Rocky's voice over their communicators.

Kim wasted no time, tilting her motionless boyfriend's head back before sealing her lips over Tommy's cold ones and blowing. Her hands trembled slightly as she pinched his nose. His chest rose from the air in his lungs.

Pulling back, she pumped his chest thirty times, eyes fixed on his blank stare.

"Come on, Tommy," she whispered before blowing air into his lungs again, his chest rising. She braced her hands between his pecs before pumping quickly.

"Guys?" asked Rocky, fear evident in his voice.

Aisha felt her eyes sting when it became clear that Tommy wasn't responding, and Billy sank slowly to his knees.

"Tommy," Kimberly sobbed, her small hands furiously performing chest compressions.

"No," she moaned softly as her lips pressed against his, blowing air into his lungs once more. She pulled back, crying harder when he showed no signs of life.

Furiously, Kimberly began to beat on his chest, screaming at him. "You weren't supposed to die!" Her vision was blurry from the tears in her eyes.

Aisha was crying silently near her, and she crawled over to Kim, pulling the pink ranger to her as she continued to slam her fists against Tommy's chest. Imanyd energy began to swirl around Kimberly, her eyes flashing blue as she lost control.

"Kim, he's gone," whispered Aisha.

"NO!" she screamed angrily, delivering a powerful blow to his chest.

Tommy's body arched suddenly, a loud cry escaping his lips as he sucked in a large breath of air. His chest heaved powerfully, and he began to cough harshly.

Aisha and Kim sat stunned, disbelief in their eyes.

Tommy looked around wildly. "Kim?" he asked softly.

She scrambled away from Aisha, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead before smiling down at him, tears in her eyes. She kissed him all over his face before resting her head against his.

"He's alive," whispered Billy. He crawled over to his friend, checking his pulse. "He's alive!"

Tommy's brown eyes revealed his confusion, and he groaned suddenly, hands brushing against his gaping wound.

"Oh, God," he groaned at the sight of his own blood on his hands. "I thought… fuck…"

"Rocky! Rocky!" yelled Billy. "I'm teleporting Tommy to you now. He's alive."

"I'm going with him," said Kim, her eyes never leaving Tommy's scared ones.

They heard a loud 'whoop' over the line as Rocky heard the good news. "**Send him down**."

Tommy and Kimberly disappeared, leaving Aisha and Billy in their wake.

"He's alive," said Billy softly with a smile. "I can't…"

Aisha shook her head. "Just be grateful."

Billy suddenly hunched over, wincing from the aching pain coming from his chest. It felt like it was on fire.

"Billy?" Aisha asked worriedly. "What's wr-"

A groan from behind them caught their attention, and they crawled over to Adam, who was now regaining consciousness; Billy's condition was quickly forgotten.

Adam let out an agonized gasp, the blades in his arms bringing him more pain than he thought possible. The sensation caused him to arch his back, doubling the pain as his back was badly burned.

"I can't – my legs," he grunted out. Aisha could hear the mild panic in his voice.

Billy squeezed the black ranger's ankles. "Adam, can you feel that?"

Adam shook his head. "Feel what?"

Billy looked at Aisha in alarm. He was holding Adam's ankles in a death grip.

"Shit," muttered Aisha. "Rocky, we're bringing Adam now. Get ready."

The three disappeared in a flash of blue, materializing outside. Billy placed the wounded black ranger on the stretcher, trying his best not to jolt him.

Aisha ran her fingers through Adam's short hair. She was terrified about his inability to feel his legs, pondering how severe his back injuries were.

"I'll wheel him in," said Billy, choosing to focus on Adam and not the tingling sensation in his limbs.

Aisha nodded, running in front of him to stand behind a shirtless Rocky, who was rolling Tommy through the corridors of the Command Center. Kimberly was off to the side, her hand around Tommy's forearm.

"How is he?" asked the yellow ranger, eyes on their team leader.

Tommy's head pounded painfully as he looked up at the gray ceiling of the Command Center.

'_Aisha?'_ He could hear her voice, though it wasn't clear.

"He's awake, but he seems to be losing consciousness," he heard Rocky say. "His injury's pretty severe."

The last thing he remembered was pulling Goldar's sword out of his stomach. The next thing he knew, he was waking up on the floor of the Megazord, his teammates staring at him as if seeing a ghost.

The bright lights of Command Center burned his eyes with their intensity, and he began to close them. A light tap on his cheek forced them open, and he was looking into Kimberly's soft brown eyes.

"Tommy, don't fall asleep," she said to him urgently.

Tommy looked up at her, confused. Kimberly sounded as if she was far away, her voice coming in quietly.

"We're almost there, T. Just pay attention to us," said Rocky.

Tommy blinked slowly, his vision blurring as he looked up at the red ranger. Rocky's shirt was missing, and he sounded as if he was underwater.

A sharp turn of the stretcher had Tommy looking up at the Medical Bay ceiling; Alpha 5's head came into focus.

"We need to move him," said the tiny robot.

Tommy felt hands slide underneath body as he was moved from the stretcher to the cold metal table.

"Oh, dear," Alpha said. "His wound is infected. We can't put him in the chamber until this is treated."

He heard a sigh. "It's my fault. My shirt had to be filthy from the battle. There were no clean cloths around…"

Rocky.

"It's fine, Rocky. You saved his life. If it hadn't been for you…"

Kimberly.

Tommy's vision became hazy, eyes fluttering as he began to succumb to the pain.

A sudden tight grip on his hand jolted him into the realm of consciousness, and he knew without looking that it was Kimberly holding his hand.

"Tommy, open your mouth," he heard a voice say.

The white ranger weakly moved his jaw, and he felt a plastic bit slide between his teeth.

"Restrain him," were the last words he heard before he felt a searing sensation in his stomach. Tommy screamed in pain, teeth bearing down hard on the plastic bit.

He could barely feel Kim's cool hand on his forehead; he twisted violently in his friends' grasps.

"A few more seconds," said Alpha. "He was cut clean through, so the infection could be deep. We have to make sure the solution has had the opportunity to permeate."

Tommy felt Kim's lips brush against his forehead. "It's almost over, handsome."

The white ranger's breathing began to calm as the pain began to fade, reducing to a dull ache. The bit was removed from his mouth, horribly deformed from the strength of his jaw.

"The regeneration tank is ready," said Alpha. "He needs to drink this before going inside."

'_This?'_ Tommy thought before he felt something press against his lips. It felt like a bottle.

"Open your mouth," Kimberly commanded softly in his ear.

Trusting her, Tommy opened his mouth, grimacing at the bitter taste of the liquid. It was thick and slimy, and he could feel it sliding down his throat.

"Good," she whispered, kissing him gently on the cheek.

Tommy felt his body relax suddenly, a wave of drowsiness hit him.

"He'll be unconscious for ten hours," he heard faintly.

His eyes fluttered close, and his breaths became ragged, sleep claiming him. Kim raised his hand to her lips, kissing the knuckles lightly.

A shout of agony rang in the room, and the pink and red rangers ran quickly to the other table in the room. Adam lay on his back, bit in his mouth as Billy attempted to restrain him with shaky arms.

"He won't stop moving," said the blue ranger, breathless from wrestling with Adam. "We need to remove the blades from his arm. I would give him an anesthetic but I'm afraid of how it will turn out due to his unstable condition."

Adam felt his heart beat rapidly in his chest as Aisha grabbed the next blade with the metallic pincer.

"All right," she breathed. "One… two… _three_!" She yanked hard, pulling the third blade out from Adam's arm.

The black ranger screamed loudly, and Kim grabbed his hand in hers. Her heart broke as Adam writhed on the metallic table.

"Shit," Rocky said as Adam nearly threw him off with his thrashing.

"Come on, Adam, you can handle this," encouraged Billy. "Just three more."

The blue ranger's words barely registered in Adam's mind. His entire body was wracked with severe pain. Each time Aisha removed a blade, it was like slicing him open all over again.

Adam's mind went blank as the fourth blade was pulled out, and he sobbed against the bit in his mouth.

"Do the last two quickly, 'Sha," shouted Kimberly. She was sure her hand was dead because of Adam's death grip; there was no circulation anymore.

Adam braced himself when he felt the fifth and then sixth blades leave his arm, and the bloodcurdling scream that was ripped from his throat scared even him.

Kim rested her head on the side of his, whispering words of comfort in his ear. Her words were drowned by the thunderous sounds of Adam's beating heart in his ear.

As the pain began to slowly ebb, Adam's breathing became regular, and he let Kim's voice soothe him. Looking down his body, he grimaced at the bloody mess that was his arm.

Aisha quickly set about cleaning his wound, and the black ranger cringed at the stinging sensation. Rocky was busy cleaning the gaping wound in the black ranger's side.

"His muscles are almost completely shredded. He needs to be put in the tank now."

Adam rested his head back against the bed, closing his eyes to process how severe his injuries were. He was still in pain, but nothing like the pain he felt when the blades were removed. His thoughts cleared as the pain disappeared, and he felt a new sense of panic.

Lifting his head, Adam focused on his legs, willing them to move.

Nothing happened.

"No," he whispered.

Kim looked at him in confusion. "Adam, what's wrong?"

"My legs," he said softly. "They won't move!"

Billy looked at Adam's vitals, watching as his blood pressure steadily increased. "Adam, you need to calm down," he said calmly.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" shouted the black ranger. "I CAN'T FEEL MY FUCKING LEGS!"

Adam's heart monitor started beeping faster.

"Adam, you need to breathe," urged Aisha.

Adam shook his head vigorously. They didn't understand the situation! He pushed himself up with his good arm, attempting to get off the table. Rocky and Billy jumped on him, keeping him down.

"Get off of me!" he yelled. "I need to see… I need to know if…" His arm slipped, sending him back down to the bed painfully.

"Adam, your blood pressure is dangerously high; you need to relax," stressed Billy.

The black ranger fought against them harder, and the heart monitor began to beep in alarm.

"Shit!" yelled Rocky. "Adam, stop!"

Aisha ran over to the side table, grabbing a clean needle before rummaging the shelves below for a small bottle. She extracted the contents of the bottle with the needle before running to Adam.

"What are you doing?" he asked, panicked.

"Giving you a sedative. You won't calm down on your own, so I'm going to make you." She grabbed his arm. "Stop shaking or this is going to go very wrong very quickly."

Adam stilled, and Aisha slid the needle into one of the veins showing through his skin. He watched as the clear liquid was pushed into his body, and immediately felt his body relax. The world around him began to move in slow motion.

"Adam?" he heard Kimberly say, her voice echoing in the room.

"Aisha, what the fuck did you give him?" the six Rockys in Adam's view asked in chorus.

"Benzodiazepine."

'_Benzo what?'_ Adam thought sleepily.

"I see," said Billy. "Benzodiazepine is often used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. An excellent choice, in Adam's case."

Adam's eyelids fluttered sleepily. He had no idea what Billy was babbling about.

"I gave him a large dose. He might pass out soon with the pain he's in," said Aisha softly.

"We need to give him that blue stuff so he can go in the regen tank. Easier to get him to swallow it when he's conscious," said Rocky.

"Adam."

The black ranger turned drugged eyes to look up at the pink ranger. "Kimmie," he mumbled drowsily. He noted distantly that she had been crying.

She smiled. "I need you to do me a favor. I'm going to give you this. Think you can drink it for me?" She held a glass bottle in her hand, a dark blue liquid inside.

Adam opened his mouth, and Kim slowly poured the liquid inside. He coughed as it made its way down his throat, not anticipating it being so thick. When he was done, he made a disgusted face, eyes now closed. "Nasty."

Kim gave a soft laugh, fingers running through his soft hair. "I know, but you did so well." She kissed his forehead.

"Kim, my legs… can't walk…"

"We're going to do our best to fix that, Adam," she said softly.

"Promise?"

The innocence with which he asked brought tears to her eyes.

"I promise."

He sighed heavily, as if a weight was lifted off of him. It wasn't until they saw the steady rise and fall of his chest that they realized Adam had fallen asleep. Rolling him over, Billy gently ran a finger over Adam's burns. The skin was charred in some places and red in others.

"I think his paralysis stems from the burns to his back." He shook his head. "Scorpina most likely damaged several nerves at the base of his spine when she attacked him."

"Will he be able to walk?" asked Rocky.

Billy sighed heavily, rubbing a hand against his own chest. "I can't tell. If the damage can be repaired, I believe Adam will be able to walk again."

He stared down at the black ranger, blue eyes unreadable. "Help me put him in the tank," said Billy.

The rangers stripped Adam of his clothes, leaving him in his black boxer briefs. Billy grabbed the sleeping black ranger under his arms while Rocky held his feet and they quickly carried him over to the tank. Billy nearly dropped the black ranger at one point, staggering slightly as his arms began to give out.

"You all right?" asked Rocky in concern.

Billy nodded, silently willing himself to stop shaking.

They laid Adam on his side at the base of the tank, connecting the various sensors to his body – along his arms, chest, abdomen, and legs. Kim came up beside them, securing the oxygen mask over Adam's nose and mouth.

Aisha stood next to the console and pressed the large red button once Rocky and Billy were done. The glass walls of the tank came down slowly, rotating to lock with a click. Bright blue water filled the tank suddenly, and Adam's body began to float.

Aisha fixed the settings for accelerated healing, and Adam's vitals appeared on the screen.

"He's good to go," she said.

"Good, now let's get Tommy," said Kim, already walking towards his prone form to strip him of his jeans.

The blue and red rangers moved their leader to the tank beside Adam, quickly connecting the sensors to his skin. Once Aisha saw that Kim had placed the oxygen mask over his face, she lowered the glass walls of Tommy's tank. Kim held Tommy's hand in hers tightly, releasing it right before the walls closed around him. Water rushed into his tank, and he rose slowly, long locks floating like snakes around his head.

"Alpha, I need you to monitor their progress," said the blue ranger. The small robot nodded.

Billy stood back as he watched over his friends in the regeneration chambers. _'They're going to pull through,'_ he thought to himself, a sudden rush of happiness hitting him.

For a moment, the blue ranger had truly been terrified. More than when he was first attacked or the first time he killed. Hell, even more than the day he asked Trini out.

For a brief moment in time, he lost his best friend.

The image of Tommy's lifeless body remained burned in his mind's eyes, and no matter what, he could never erase it or the sense of dread tied to it.

Shuddering suddenly, Billy's eyes trailed over from the unconscious rangers to Rocky, who rested heavily against the metal wall. His eyes were closed, and his hand rubbed gently against his chest.

Billy rushed over to him, catching the red ranger just as he collapsed. He wrapped Rocky's arm around his neck, an arm holding him up around the waist.

"You need to lie down," said Billy.

Rocky let out a pained grunt, not bothering to argue with the blue ranger. The red ranger pushed himself onto the table, his body hunched over in pain.

Aisha rushed over to him, eyes scanning his body. "Shit," she muttered, running a hand along his face. "I forgot about your injuries."

He gave a weak smile. "Yeah… not a good idea to heal them during battle."

He groaned, turning his body so that he lay on his back. "Where's that green shit we always drink?" he rasped out. "Fuck, give it to me."

Kim came running to his side, the green liquid in a small cup. Rocky sat up on his forearms, allowing Kimberly to pour the solution into his mouth. He stuck out his tongue as he shuddered. "Still disgusting."

Aisha watched in horror as his wound on the front of his chest began to open again.

"We need to get him to a regen tank," she stated.

Kim shook her head. "No time. It would take a while for Alpha to set it up. That's time we don't have."

Aisha frowned. "Fine." She turned to the blue ranger. "What do you need?"

"Kim, bring me something to clean his wound. Aisha, I need a surgical suture." Billy gently rolled Rocky onto his side; the wound on his back was opening as well.

"Jesus," mumbled the blue ranger. The wounds were too deep to heal with their Imanyd powers, and the strain was too much for Rocky's muscles. They were weakening, undoing the repairs made to them during the fights.

He grabbed two cloths from the side table, sliding one under Rocky and pressing the other against his chest.

"Here," said Kimberly, handing Billy the saline solution.

As Billy took the bottle from her, his hand began to shake slightly. He grabbed his wrist, steadying it before taking the solution from her.

"Billy…" began Kim confusedly.

"Not now," he said forcefully, pouring the solution onto Rocky's chest. The red ranger hissed, arching slightly from the sting.

"Fuck, Billy," he muttered.

"Sorry," said the blue ranger. "Turn over."

Rocky rolled onto his back, and Billy poured the solution onto another clean cloth, carefully using it to clean out the wound.

"All right," said Billy, grabbing the suture from Aisha. He tried to ignore the tingling sensation in his chest, only coughing slightly.

"Give him a sedative," said the blue ranger. "This is going to hurt."

Aisha found a bottle of secobarbital sodium and a clean needle in one of the cabinets. She returned, filling the needle with the liquid.

"Scorpina sliced me up good, huh?" asked Rocky with a strained smile.

Aisha shook her head, holding his wrist in her hand as she searched his arms for a vein. "You're going to be fine," she whispered.

Rocky laughed. "I damn well better be."

She slid the needle into his skin, and he winced slightly.

"I just got you. I don't wanna lose you just as quickly."

Aisha smiled down at him. "You've always had me, Rocky," she whispered.

Billy watched the exchange between the red and yellow rangers from the side, his hand absently rubbing against his chest. He winced as the muscles of his chest contracted painfully, and he momentarily closed his eyes.

"Billy, what's wrong?" It was Kim.

"Nothing," he said, forcing a smile onto his face.

"He's ready," said Aisha, and Billy turned to see the red ranger's eyes closed.

Billy nodded, running the needle underneath Rocky's skin, pulling the thread all the way through before repeating in the opposite directing.

Kim watched the blue ranger closely as he sutured Rocky.

'_Kim, what's wrong?'_ asked Aisha, noticing her friend's intense gaze.

'_Something's wrong with Billy,'_ she stated. '_Pay attention to his hands.'_

Aisha watched the blue ranger with interest, not seeing anything out of the ordinary… then she noticed the slight shake of the needle.

"Billy?" she called his name softly.

Billy ignored her, concentrating fully on the task before him. He was almost done with the wound on Rocky's chest.

Kim grew alarmed as she heard Billy taking harsh breaths; he was breathing as if he were running a marathon. As he closed up Rocky's wound, he dropped the needle, hands shaking violently.

"Billy… BILLY!" she screamed, rushing to his side when he fell to the ground, demorphing into his street clothes. His body went taught, and Aisha joined Kim on the ground.

"Shit, he's having a seizure," said Kim in panic. Billy made a strangling noise before his body began to jerk violently on the floor.

"What the fuck happened?" asked Kim fearfully. Billy seemed perfectly fine before.

"I-I don't know," Aisha said.

"Did he get injured in the battle?" asked the pink ranger, eyeing his slightly charred t-shirt.

Billy had finally stopped moving, his body resting against the ground as he lost consciousness.

"Not more than usual. A few bumps and bruises." She paused, remembering. "Rita hit him with an energy blast during the fight. Tommy had to revive him."

"Was it a strong blast?" asked Kim, her head resting against the blue ranger's chest. His heartbeat was there, but weak.

"Yeah, it looked like it. Directly to the chest." She pointed to the black scorch marks on the front of his uniform. "He wasn't moving afterwards for a while."

Kim lifted Billy's eyelids; his eyes didn't register her face. She eyed his chest; she initially thought the marks were just from ash and possible explosions from the battle. Now that she was closer, Kimberly realized how wrong her assumption was.

"I think he was electrocuted," said Kim finally, and she watched as Aisha's eyes widened. "Fuck."

Kim got up suddenly, rushing to the cabinet. "Finish stitching up Rocky. I'll find something for Billy."

She rummaged through the bottles, reading the labels quickly as she looked to find anything to treat Billy. Grabbing one, she quickly grabbed a needle and rubber tie before running over to her fallen friend.

"All right, Billy," she mumbled, wrapping the piece of rubber around his arm. Slapping his forearm, Kim grinned when she was the green vein raise in his arm.

"I hope this works," she whispered, injecting the fluid. Dropping his arm, Kim removed the tie around his arm and watched her friend. Then she looked up over her shoulder at the yellow ranger, checking for any progress with Rocky.

Aisha was finishing up the last few runs of the thread, and she sighed in relief when she was done. It was a bit unnerving to be directly responsible for Rocky's health; she didn't know if she could handle the pressure.

She rolled him over onto his back, hand sweeping over his sleeping form. Aisha held his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly before joining Kim and Billy on the floor.

"How is he?" asked Kim.

"He should live." Aisha pointed at Billy. "How's he?"

Kim shook her head. "Not sure. Help me lift him."

The two girls grabbed the unconscious blue ranger, lifting him onto the nearest medical table. Aisha grabbed a pair of scissors, cutting open his shirt.

"Shit," she breathed. His chest was mottled with burns and blisters. "Rita got him good."

"I'll say," agreed Kim, running a finger lightly over Billy's red chest. It was covered in second-degree burns.

"See if you can find any burn ointment," said Aisha, and the pink ranger nodded, searching the cabinets. "I don't think he needs to be put in a tank. He just needs rest."

Kim came back with an orange bottle, twisting it open and squirting it directly onto his chest. The two massaged the sweet-smelling cream into Billy's skin, covering his entire chest and upper stomach.

"What did you give him earlier?" asked Aisha.

"An IV. My father's a doctor, usually deals with burn victims. He always said the first thing to give someone that's been badly injured like Billy is an IV in order to resuscitate their body fluids." She looked around. "We should probably have a steady flow going into his body."

"He's going to be in a world of pain when he regains consciousness," mumbled Aisha.

Kim could only nod in agreement.

"Alpha," said Aisha.

"Yes?"

"Can you set up a steady flow of intravenous fluid resuscitation? We need to keep Billy dehydrated and his electrolytes up," said Aisha.

"Right away."

"Intravenous fluid resuscitation?" asked Kim with a smirk as they walked slowly over to nearby chairs.

Aisha laughed tiredly, sinking down into the seat. "You work around animals and hospitals enough, you pick up a few things."

Kim eyed the yellow ranger warily. "You don't have any life-threatening injuries, do you?"

Aisha shook her head. "The worst I got was a slash to my leg. Wasn't too deep, so Billy was able to heal it on the spot." She rubbed her arm and stomach. "Pretty banged up though, and I'm sure I have scrapes in places I can't see. Might have a concussion. My head is killing me."

Kim grimaced. "Same. When Goldar smacked me, I felt like my skull was nearly bashed in."

Aisha lifted Kim's messy bangs, whistling lowly. "He got you pretty good, girl." Resting her hand over Kim's forehead, Aisha quickly healed the wound.

Kim smiled at her friend gratefully. "Thanks."

Aisha waved nonchalantly, smiling at her friend. She frowned when she noticed Kim's eyes were focused on her thighs, her gloves running over them shakily.

'_Shit,'_ Aisha thought.

In the midst of helping everyone with their injuries, Kim hadn't been able to fully digest what was going on.

She was still wearing her pink ranger uniform, and her gloves were lightly touching the dried blood on her body.

Tommy's blood.

Her mind flashed back to the moment when his body seized up, and the life drained from his eyes as he stared up above.

She remembered holding Rocky's gray shirt against Tommy's stomach, some of the blood soaking through onto her white gloves.

She could still hear Tommy taking his last few breaths on the floor of the Megazord, the tenderness in his voice as he tried to tell her he didn't want to leave her.

Kim turned her hands upwards, and the faint smears of red on her fingertips from when Tommy was dying earlier contrasted brightly with the white.

She looked at him, staring at his large frame as it was suspended in the regeneration tank. Kim numbly walked towards it.

Aisha followed her friend with her eyes.

The pink ranger stood outside his tank, eyes trailing from him to Adam nearby, and her heart grew heavy when she began to realize how close she was to losing him as well.

Adam. Billy. Rocky. Aisha.

_Tommy_.

All of them.

Kim pressed a hand against Tommy's tank, conflicting emotions crossing her beautiful features. She felt happy, elated that the man she loved would be okay. They had been able to revive him and get him to the regeneration tank in time.

But she came too close to losing him. She did for a while, and it was too much to bear. It felt like her soul was ripped in half, so strong was the crippling sensation that had hit her when Tommy's heart stopped beating.

Kim couldn't stop the tears that flowed from her doe brown eyes, and she began to hiccup from the lack of oxygen as she sobbed harshly.

Aisha moved over to her friend, limping as fast as she could.

The pink ranger was having a breakdown.

"Kim," Aisha murmured softly, her hands on her friend's shoulder.

Kim said nothing, turning to her friend before sliding down the front of the regeneration tank. Aisha joined Kimberly on the ground, and the pink ranger looked at her with unseeing eyes.

The yellow ranger pulled her friend into her arms, hugging Kimberly to her tightly as she cried hard. Aisha felt her own tears slip from her eyes, and she whispered softly to Kimberly that everything would be okay as she rocked her on the floor of the Medical Bay.

The pink ranger cried herself to sleep in Aisha's embrace, and the yellow ranger fought to keep her own eyes open as she rubbed a comforting hand up and down Kimberly's back.

The monotonous beeping of the machines were the only sounds in the room, and Aisha found herself lulled to sleep, her head resting against the base of Tommy's regeneration tank.


	20. Chapter 19

_**Author's Note:** Here's chapter 19. Shards is coming to a close. THIS IS NOT THE END, LOL. There's a bit left, but not much...only a few more chapters. Hope you like this one. Please read and review. :)_

* * *

_**Kim stood in a dimly lit room wearing her pink power uniform, helmet in hand. **_

"_**Hello?" she called out. She received only the echo of her voice in response.**_

_**She walked around slowly, searching for anyone else that might be nearby.**_

"_**Kim!" She suddenly heard someone scream behind her; her blood ran cold.**_

_**The pink ranger turned quickly, helmet dropping as she saw Tommy standing a few feet away. He was in his street clothes, blood coloring his white muscle shirt around the large metal blade protruding from his stomach.**_

_**She watched as Goldar stood behind him laughing mockingly, and as blood spilled forth from Tommy's lips as the evil creature twisted the handle of the sword.**_

_**Kim ran to him… only to be stopped by an invisible wall.**_

_**Tommy's eyes were filled with tears as he screamed again, now on his knees as the pain became too much.**_

_**Goldar pulled the sword from his back, and the white ranger fell forward suddenly, a mixture of saliva and blood dripping from his mouth.**_

_**Kim slammed her hands against the wall, crying loudly as she saw the agony Tommy was in.**_

_**His hand pressed against the wall between them, and she raised hers to rest against his own. "I love you," he choked out.**_

_**Kim sobbed softly, wishing desperately that she could hold him. "I love you, too."**_

_**He smiled then, as if her words were healing him.**_

_**Kim gasped when she saw Goldar stand behind Tommy's kneeling form, bloodied sword high in the air.**_

"_**Tommy," she whispered in horror. "No…"**_

_**Goldar let out a powerful roar as he brought the blade down and time slowed for Kimberly.**_

_**She viciously beat against the wall, screaming for Tommy to get up, to run away. The white ranger merely looked at her, eyes showing his defeat.**_

"_**I'm sorry."**_

"TOMMY!" Kimberly screamed, and she jolted awake, chest heaving as the nightmare came to an end.

She looked around frantically, and it dawned on her that she was in her room at the Command Center. Her hands trembled as she stared at them, and she could feel the sweat on her forehead.

"Oh, God," she moaned before jumping out of the bed, running to her private bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach. She retched painfully in the toilet, shakily wiping her mouth with the back of her hand when she finished. The pink ranger leaned against the baby blue tile wall of her bathroom, eyes fixed on the toilet.

The nightmare was still fresh in her mind.

Climbing slowly to her feet, Kim looked at herself in the mirror. She was in the same clothes as the day before, dried blood and dirt all over her body. Her hair was all over her head, and she ached everywhere.

Kim turned on the shower, stripping before she let the hot spray wash over her. She looked down at her body, finger gently running over the various cuts and bruises. She had a large black bruise on the side of her stomach, three on her left arm, and several scrapes around her pelvis where Goldar's armor dug into her skin when he captured her.

As Kim washed her body down, her mind replayed the last 24 hours.

It hadn't registered to her until then that they had actually _won_. They had successfully retrieved the three shards from Rita and Lord Zedd, destroyed the Lunar Palace, and returned the Imanyd to the side of Good.

But everything they had gone through, the scars of from their final battle, made the rangers feel nothing but a terrible loss.

Kim twisted the knob, turning the water off. She grabbed her towel, drying off carefully so as to keep from agitating her injuries. She brushed her teeth, needing to rid herself of the taste of vomit in her mouth.

She walked to her dresser, pulling out underwear, a bra, some sweatpants and a white undershirt. As she slipped on her pink sweatpants, Kim's gaze fell on Tommy's green and white plaid jacket resting on her beanbag chair. She walked to it slowly, picking it up and holding to her chest.

His scent was all over it.

Carefully, she slid her arms inside of it, letting the large jacket engulf her small frame. She zipped it up halfway, wrapping her arms around her body.

Kim blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, sliding her hands into the pockets in the front.

She walked out of her room, bare feet hardly making a sound as she headed for the Medical Bay.

* * *

**Medical Bay**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Sunday, 9:29 AM**

Aisha slowly unwound the white bandage around Rocky's torso, careful not to make it too tight on his injuries.

"That good?" she asked.

Rocky nodded. "Yeah."

Aisha had woken up nearly two hours before in her room. Zordon apparently had Alpha teleport her and Kimberly to their quarters, not wanting them sleeping on the floor of the Medical Bay.

The yellow ranger showered and got dressed, heading straight to the Medical Bay to check on her friends and ice her own bruises.

Adam and Tommy were still in the regen tanks; from their progress, Adam would be the first to wake up. Billy was still unconscious on the bed a few feet away, and Rocky had just woken nearly an hour after she arrived.

Alpha held a flashlight to Rocky's eyes, and his pupils contracted accordingly.

"Brainstem function is normal," said the small robot. "Pupillary light reflex test was successful." The robot moved to the monitors nearby. "His blood pressure is good – 120/80 – and his heart strong."

"Good," Aisha said, taping the last bit of the ace bandage on Rocky's side. "How are you feeling?"

"Like an old punching bag," he said truthfully. "How are you holding up?"

"Better now that I know everyone will live," she admitted. "You should go take a shower, Rocky. Clean off the remnants of yesterday. Come back here and I'll have some ice packs ready for you."

He nodded, carefully hopping down from the table. He grabbed Aisha's hand, pulling her to him in a tight hug.

She let out a sigh into his chest. "Don't scare me like that again," she said softly.

He grinned, kissing the top of her head. "I'll try my best," he whispered. Pulling back, the red ranger's expression turned serious. "I'm relieved to know that you're all right."

"That goes both ways," she said, leaning up to kiss him softly on the lips. Rocky wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss.

Aisha pulled away to breathe, her hands resting on his shoulders. "Go, and be careful with your bandages," she ordered.

Rocky released her, slowly limping back to his quarters. Although he was disappointed to be leaving Aisha so soon, he eagerly anticipated the hot shower awaiting him.

He saw Kimberly on his was to his room, and braced himself for the small bundle that ran to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey." He ruffled her hair. "Just wake up?"

"Yeah." She pulled back. "You're looking better."

"I feel better," he admitted. "Heading in to take a shower." Rocky observed his petite friend, and his gaze saddened when he saw the jacket she was wearing.

"He's gonna pull through, Kim. We all will," he said firmly.

The pink ranger nodded, hanging on to Rocky's words. "Anyone else up?"

"Just Aisha." He scratched the back of his neck. "Adam should be waking up anytime now. Sensors say he's almost fully healed."

"All right," she said. "See you in a bit? I'll have a pop tart ready for you."

The red ranger laughed. It felt good to do after the violence of the day before. "Sure thing," said Rocky before continuing down the hall towards his room.

Kim watched him disappear around the corner before she headed down the corridor. The sound of coughing hit her ears.

"Here, Billy, take this," she heard Aisha said as she entered the room.

The blue ranger was bent over, coughing raggedly as he sat on the bed. He grabbed the cup of water and aspirin from Aisha, swallowing the pills quickly before chugging down the water.

"That should help with the pain. How are you feeling?"

Billy blinked sleepily. "Like I've been hit by a train. Twice. What happened?"

"We think you were suffering from electric shock," said Aisha as she watched him play with the IV connected to his arm. "We took care of the burns that were on your chest. Why didn't you say anything?"

Billy shook his head. "There was… a lot going on." He winced, head pounding. "I was making a futile attempt to be useful and ignore my injuries. I believe I ended up overexerting myself in the process. Ironic, no?"

"You scared the shit out of us, Billy." He turned upon hearing Kim's voice. "We didn't know what was wrong when you started having a seizure."

He gave her a sheepish look. "I apologize."

"Can you stand?" asked Aisha.

Billy nodded. "I believe so." He got down from the table.

"Are you in any pain?" asked Kim.

"My chest aches, though significantly less than before, and I most likely have bruises along my back." He winced as he stretched. "Other than that, I feel fine."

"You should take some of that green stuff we usually take. Might help with the pain," suggested Kim.

The blue ranger headed to the medicine cabinet after removing the IV from his hand, pouring himself a bit of the green concoction before downing it quickly. He shook his head at the taste.

"What's the status on the others?" He looked around. "And where's Rocky?"

"Rocky just headed for a shower. He's good," said Kim. "You might want to do the same."

"Later. I want to check on these two first." Kim knew there was no sense in arguing with Billy.

"Adam will be done any minute now, and Tommy a while after," said Aisha.

"Excellent," said the blue ranger. He shrugged off the tattered remains of his t-shirt, and the girls gasped loudly behind him.

Billy's back was covered almost entirely with bruises, from his shoulder blades to his tail bone.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Your back," said Kim. "Billy, lay down." She fixed him with a glare. "It's not a request."

As the blue ranger lay on his stomach, Kim grew irritated.

"You feel _fine_? Didn't you learn the first time, Billy? If you're hurt, let us know. We don't need you passing out on us again," she scolded angrily.

Aisha said nothing, silently agreeing with the pink ranger as they layered Billy's back with ice packs. He hissed at the cold sensation.

"Stay there and don't move," said Aisha. Billy rolled his eyes but didn't dare argue with the yellow ranger.

She grabbed Billy's arm, reattaching his IV. She then grabbed a small bottle from the medicine cabinet, using a clean needle to inject it into the IV.

"What did you give me?" he asked, eyes drooping low.

Kim watched in amusement as Billy fell asleep. "You gave him a sedative?"

Aisha nodded. "You know as well as I do that he would be up and about if we didn't make him sleep. Had to take matters into my own –"

"REGENERATION COMPLETE," the computer said suddenly, interrupting. Aisha and Kim ran to Adam's tank, and could see the black ranger beginning to stir in the water.

"WATER LEVEL DROPPING." A loud sucking noise was heard; the two watched as the water was removed from Adam's tank.

Adam's brown eyes snapped open, and he looked around the Medical Bay in confusion. He looked down at his body, half-submerged in water.

The walls of his tank lifted up, and Adam stood shakily, shivering in the cold room. Snatching the oxygen mask off his face, his teeth chattered as he fell to the ground.

Aisha grabbed him two towels, wrapping one around his body.

"W-What h-h-happened?" he asked, clinging tightly to the white cloth.

Kim grabbed the other towel from Aisha, drying his hair. "You were injured really badly. We had to put you in the regen tank because they were so severe," she explained.

He dried off his arms and torso, moving then to his legs. He gasped at the long pink scar on his arm, tracing the puckered skin lightly with his finger.

"Oh God," he whispered, bringing a hand around to touch his back as he remembered the battle. He didn't feel any pain.

Aisha examined his back, smiling to see a layer of pink skin where his third-degree burns were before.

"Can you move your legs?" she asked suddenly.

Adam lifted his left leg slowly, bending the knee before doing the same with his right.

"How does it feel?" she asked.

"My legs are a little weak, but I feel good. I can move them," he said happily.

He stood slowly, Kim latching on around his waist as he stumbled slightly. She helped him make his way to a chair so Alpha could examine him.

Alpha 5 secured the sphygmomanometer around Adam's bicep, applying pressure to tighten it.

"Your blood pressure appears normal," he said.

Kim placed a towel around Adam's shoulders as Alpha continued checking him, testing his reflexes and eyesight.

"Adam!" yelled Rocky. The red ranger rushed up to his friend, ruffling his hair as his way of showing affection. "Glad to see you're all right."

Adam laughed. "You and me both."

"Everything appears to be in order, Adam. Just try to take it easy for a while. Your nerves were badly damaged from Scorpina's attack. They've been fixed, but you shouldn't overwork them," said Aisha.

The black ranger nodded, standing up slowly. "I need to take a hot shower and get dressed. Kinda weird to be in front of everyone in my underwear," he admitted.

"Kim, you should take him back to his room," said Aisha. The pink ranger glanced in Tommy's direction before looking back at Aisha.

"I'm sure Adam could use the attention. I'll contact you as soon as Tommy's awake."

The pink ranger remained unmoved, looking defiant, and Aisha shared a glance with Rocky. The yellow ranger was well aware that the chances of Kim leaving Tommy at this point in time were very small. Kim had only slept because she had passed out from exhaustion in Aisha's arms; she was sure if Kim had had her way, she never would have left Tommy's side.

"Kimberly," said Aisha, her tone stern.

"I'm not leaving him, 'Sha, so you can stop asking."

Rocky moved next to the pink ranger, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Kim, look at him." Her eyes focused on Tommy's floating form. "He's going to be fine. He's safe now."

Kim shot him an irritated look, throwing off his shoulder angrily. "He's not safe, Rocky. He _died_… or did that fact slip your mind?" she hissed viciously.

Aisha narrowed her eyes. "Kim, don't snap at Rocky. I know you're concerned about Tommy, okay? But staying here and getting stressed over him is not helpful when nothing can be done about it. Adam needs your help. Now."

Aisha sighed when she saw Kim held the same glare. "I would gladly go and monitor Adam, but I'm needed here more. With Billy out of commission, I have the most knowledge on medical care of all of us and need to stay."

Kim knew Aisha had a point. "Why can't Rocky do it?"

The red ranger noted the wounded look on the silent black ranger's face, and for a moment, Rocky wanted to strangle Kimberly. He understood her need to be near Tommy; he'd be the same way if it was Aisha in the white ranger's place, but she needed to realize that Tommy wasn't the only one that needed her.

"You know what?" Kim turned suddenly, having forgotten Adam was in the room. "Don't worry about it. Kim obviously needs to be with Tommy right now."

Kim could hear the sting in his voice and began to feel guilty at the look of hurt on his face.

"Adam…" she began.

He waved her off. "Don't," he said softly. "I'll be fine. You stay here."

Kim watched as Adam slowly limped away from them, determined to make it to his quarters on his own.

She stared at the healed flesh on his back, remembering that he received that wound and the scar along his arm in his attempt to save her. She saw his legs buckle slightly, limbs still adjusting to the repairs on his body.

"Adam, wait up," said Rocky, causing the black ranger to pause, back still to them. The red ranger was stopped by a small hand to his chest when he moved.

Kim removed her hand, gaze fixed on Tommy's unconscious form before she took a deep breath.

"Tommy wakes up, you contact me _immediately_, understand?" asked Kim, narrowed eyes locked with Aisha.

"You'll be the first to know," promised Aisha.

Kim turned to look at Rocky, looking resigned. "I'll go with Adam. You stay here with 'Sha in case she needs help."

Rocky said nothing, eyes following the pink ranger as she made her way to their friend.

Kim snaked an arm around Adam's waist, and he hesitantly placed an arm around her shoulders. His expression revealed both surprise and happiness at her decision to come with him as they walked back to his room in silence.

Once inside the black ranger's quarters, Kim helped Adam ease onto his bed before walking to his bathroom, turning on the hot water.

"How long have you been up?" he asked when she reemerged.

She shrugged. "Not too long. Everything's been kind of a blur since…" She trailed off, staring out through the window in his room. The pink ranger subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself.

He watched her, eyes softening when he noticed that she was wearing Tommy's jacket. Adam stood, walking to his dresser to grab a change of clothes. He suddenly felt bad for pulling her away from Tommy, silently berating himself for his selfishness.

"I'm going to go take a quick shower," he said softly. "Make yourself comfortable."

Kim watched Adam close the door to the bathroom. Her eyes moved around the room, eyes falling on the small animal on his dresser. It was a black and green frog plush toy she found while visiting her brother over in New York during spring break last year. Kim squealed when she first saw the toy, as it was a mix of Adam's animal spirit, power ranger color, and his favorite color – it was the perfect gift.

She ran a finger along its wide feet, smiling to herself before picking it up and holding it close. Her eyes traveled then to his desk, which had several pictures on it.

The first picture was of a ten-year-old Adam, a middle-aged Korean man, and a Caucasian woman. Kim recognized the adults as Adam's parents, and the picture was taken at one of his soccer games back in Wichita.

Her eyes drifted to a picture at the far corner of his desk, and she picked it up slowly.

In the picture, Billy stood off to the left with Trini at his side, eyes in mid-roll as Tommy stood beside him, mouth open wide and hands gesturing wildly. The white ranger's hair was shorter and much curlier, and the black wifebeater he wore revealed his developing muscles. Tanya stood beside him, and it appeared that she was slapping Tommy on the arm, most likely for saying something obnoxious.

Next to Tanya was Aisha, whose hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was eating an ice cream cone, laughing at something that Rocky was saying. The red ranger had an arm around her shoulders, his other hand held tightly in the grip of his then eight-year-old brother, Antonio.

Next to Rocky was Adam, whose face was flushed from the heat and laughter. On his head was an 'I heart Cali' baseball cap. On his back was Kimberly, her arms wrapped securely around his neck and each thigh supported by one of his arms. She was smiling brightly in the picture, an 'I heart Kansas' cap over her French braid as she held a large bag of blue cotton candy in her hand.

She smiled as she remembered she and Adam traded hats for the day, and now that she thought about it, they never gave them back.

The picture was taken by Billy's dad when he took the kids up to the Annual Los Angeles County Fair the summer before sophomore year.

The summer before they became power rangers.

'_We look so young,'_ she thought to herself, finger tracing over the smile on her face in the photograph.

If they only knew then what they know now.

"Feels like forever ago," she heard behind her, and Kim jumped slightly, unaware that Adam had finished his shower.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

Adam stood behind her in gray sweatpants and a black sweatshirt, his hair still wet. He wrapped his arms around Kim's shoulders, resting his head on top of hers. Her hands came up, clenching his arms tightly.

"It's over," he whispered. "It's finally over."

"Then why am I still on edge?" she asked.

"Because he's there, and you're here," he said simply.

Adam released her, heading to his bed and crawling underneath the black sheets.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

"Lying down. Doubt I'll get any sleep."

He looked at her with an unreadable expression before scooting over, patting the spot beside him.

Kim hesitated before sitting, turning her body so that she could see his face.

"I never thanked you," she said suddenly. At his confused expression, she continued. "You came with Tommy onto Serpentera to rescue me."

She ran a finger along his scar. "You got this because of me."

Adam shrugged. "You would've done the same for me."

"How're you feeling?" she asked.

Adam gave a lopsided smile, running a hand along his arm. "My arm feels good as new. I'm not in any pain."

He ran a hand along the sensitive skin of his back before trailing it to his legs.

"Might need some physical therapy to get back up to speed, but that's okay. I'm thrilled to just be alive and walking."

Kim pulled Tommy's jacket closer to her body as she felt a chill, and Adam immediately flushed red.

'_Way to remind her Tommy isn't here, Adam,'_ he chastised himself.

The black ranger cleared his throat awkwardly. "What are you thinking about?"

She ran a hand through her hair. "A conversation I had with Tommy earlier this week."

He nodded. "What happened?"

Kim played with the large eyes of the stuffed frog. "It was after we made up from our fight, after he made the team assignments." She bit her lip. "He knew then… he told me he had a feeling something would go wrong."

She laughed mirthlessly. "Isn't it ironic? He was scared something would happen to me, but he's the one that's healing?"

She sighed heavily. "I should've listened to him."

Adam considered her words. "You think things would be different if you had?"

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "And then there was that dream…"

"Dream?"

Kim recounted her dream from that morning to her friend, and the two sat in heavy silence when she finished.

"There was so much blood…" She let go of the stuffed animal, wringing her hands together in agitation.

He attempted to reassure her. "It was only a dream. Tommy's not dead, and Goldar can't hurt him. You know –"

She shook her head violently. "Not in the dream. Last night."

Adam sat up as her breathing grew ragged. She stared at her hands.

"You didn't see… you were unconscious." She swallowed thickly. "After you teleported to the Megazord, we went to you first because you fell down and were unconscious. I-I really thought Tommy was okay.

"And then he screamed… it was so loud and with so much pain… and when I turned, he had Goldar's sword in his hand… It was covered in blood… _his_ blood…"

The black ranger turned so that he sat beside Kimberly, their shoulders touching.

"I couldn't… couldn't stop the bleeding." She sniffed. "Rocky gave up his shirt so that we could compress the wound but it wasn't working…"

She licked her dry lips before releasing a shuddering breath. "It was seeping through the shirt… it got on my h-hands, on the floor, my legs…"

Adam rubbed her back in slow circles, unsurprised when tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Aisha… she took over and h-he started talking to me. I tried to tell him he'd be a-alright, that he'd make it through."

She hiccupped suddenly, tears coming faster. Adam pulled Kim to his side, her small body shaking hard as she cried.

"He told me he loved me and didn't want to leave me."

Adam could barely understand her through her tears.

"I _begged_ him not to leave me."

"And he didn't. He pulled through, Kim," reminded Adam.

"No, he didn't. He died," she whispered.

Adam gasped softly. "What?" He thought Tommy had been put in the regen tank once he left the Megazord.

"His heart stopped right before we landed on Earth." Despite her tears just a few moments ago, now her voice sounded empty of any emotion. "He went into shock from the blood loss, and then his heart stopped beating. We got him back with CPR… but he was _dead_. He _died_… in my arms."

Adam couldn't imagine a more painful way to lose a loved one. Even though Tommy was revived, to know Kim watched him die… held him…

"Every time I close my eyes or see him in that tank, I see him dying in my head all over again," she admitted. "It's like a tape stuck on an endless loop. No matter how hard I try… I can't stop thinking about it."

Her frail tone made Adam's heart ache, and he wished desperately he could get rid of her pain.

"Then why are you so adamant about staying near him?" asked a puzzled Adam. "I understand the need to be close him, but if it also causes you pain… that has to be torture, Kim."

"It is, but being away from him after what happened hurts just as much as seeing him die," she confessed. "And until he wakes up, it's the only thing my mind will allow me to think about."

Adam said nothing, choosing instead to pull his friend into a tight hug, her arms wrapping tightly around his midsection. He had no beautiful words to make her feel better and wouldn't insult her by saying he knew what she was going through.

He knew that the only solution to the pain Kimberly was currently in was back in the Medical Bay, suspended in water.

He sent up a silent prayer that Tommy would wake up soon.

* * *

**Medical Bay**

**Command Center**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**Sunday, 1:43 PM**

"Aisha…"

The yellow ranger turned to look at the blue ranger, slightly amused at the sleepy look on his face.

"Can you remove these packs from my back? It appears all the ice has melted."

Aisha walked over to him, putting down her own bag of ice that was being used to ice the bruise on her thigh.

Billy rubbed his red eyes. He needed to remove his contacts; they had been in for too long and were beginning to irritate his eyes.

"I see you've put me back on the regular IV. Nice trick with the sedative," he said as he took notice of the small needle in his arm.

"You feel better?" she asked.

"Affirmative. My headache is gone and my chest feels significantly better. My back is better as well, though I'm aware the bruises are still there."

Aisha winced as she looked at his back. "You need to keep it iced. The swelling has gone down, but it's still pretty bad."

Billy nodded, looking over at the regeneration tanks.

"Where's Adam?"

"Kim took him back to his room after Alpha checked him."

He raised an eyebrow. "How you managed to convince her to part from Tommy is something I wish I was awake to witness."

Aisha laughed softly. "It was Adam that did it. She flat-out refused to leave Tommy, but Adam persuaded her."

"How is she?" he asked.

Aisha shrugged. "She'll be good once he's awake, which should be soon. His wound is completely healed from what I can see."

Billy sat up, stretching his limbs. He didn't feel nearly as much discomfort or pain as he did before.

"Excellent."

Approaching footsteps caught their attention, and they saw Rocky enter the Medical Bay. His tattered blue backpack was in hand, covered in dirt.

"Just went to go check on the Megazord. It's gonna need some major repairs. Some of the zords got fried on our way back into Earth's atmosphere." He lifted the bag. "Picked this up on the way out."

He tossed the pack to Billy, who caught it deftly, opening it to find the three shards sitting inside.

So much pain and suffering for such seemingly insignificant objects.

Billy was glad it was over.

A loud thump caught their attention, and they were surprised to see Tommy moving inside his regeneration tank, eyes open in panic.

"He's not supposed to be up for another two hours," said Aisha in confusion.

Billy jumped down from his medical bed, hobbling over to check Tommy's vitals. "His heart rate is increasing. We need to get him calm."

Rocky held his hands up against the glass. "Tommy! Tommy, can you hear me? You need to relax!"

Aisha shook her head. "He can't hear you. Soundproof."

Another kick to the glass, this time harder.

"Shit, can we get him out of there?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. I've never tried to override the settings of the regeneration tank," said Billy.

Rocky hit a button on his communicator. "Kim, Adam. Come to the Medical Bay. Tommy's awake."

"Why is he freaking out?" asked Aisha. "He can swim."

"True, but the only thing registering in his mind is the fact that he is submerged. Even though he's fine, he probably feels like he's drowning."

Tommy shook violently in the water, pressing his hands against the glass in order to get out. He snatched his oxygen mask off his face, clearly feeling as if he was trapped. His mouth moved quickly, large bubbles of air escaping.

"WARNING. WARNING. SUBJECT IS DISCONNECTED FROM OXYGEN MASK."

"Shit!" shouted Rocky. "Get him outta there! He's gonna drown."

Tommy began to snatch the sensors off his body, and the computer beeped in alarm when it could no longer find his heartbeat.

"NO LIFE DETECTED. EMERGENCY EVACUATION INITIATED."

The walls of Tommy's chamber rose suddenly, causing the water to gush onto the floor of the Medical Bay. Tommy coughed harshly as he rested on his hands and knees, desperately searching for oxygen.

"Are you all right?" asked Rocky as he placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder.

The older teen was coughing up water, and his eyes were somewhat red. "Yeah," he said roughly. He felt softness on his back and shoulders and reached up, realizing it was a towel.

"Thanks," he said to Aisha.

Billy stood in front of Tommy, arms crossed over his chest. "Are you incapable of doing _anything_ like a normal, logical human being?" he asked incredulously.

Tommy cracked a smile, water dripping from his long locks. "Since when have humans been logical or any of us remotely close to normal?"

Billy shook his head. "Not funny, Tommy. You were perfectly fine in the regeneration tank. You had a steady flow of oxygen, and your little stunt leaves us without knowing if you're fully healed."

Tommy ran a hand along his abdomen, a thick pink scar protruding from his defined stomach.

"I feel great, Billy. Never better. And I'm sorry, but I couldn't take another second in that thing. It's unnerving."

The two stared each other down for several seconds before the corner of the blue ranger's mouth turned upward.

"Leave it to you to make a dramatic entrance," he said.

'_Tommy, do me a favor?'_ asked the blue ranger telepathically.

Tommy grinned. "I do what I can."

'_What's that?'_

'_Don't die on me again.'_

Billy placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder, squeezing it firmly as a show of affection. Tommy reached up, clasping Billy's hand with his own.

'_I won't,'_ the long-haired teen replied.

Alpha 5 waddled up to the white ranger. "Oh, Tommy! It is so good to see that you are all right. I wish you would have stayed in the tank for the full time, but you appear to be okay. I just need to do a check of your vitals and…"

Tommy had begun to tune out Alpha after the first ten seconds of conversation, his eyes focused on the people that just entered the room.

One person in particular.

Kimberly stood behind Adam, her brown eyes dancing with a myriad of emotions as she took in Tommy's form. She stepped away from Adam, walking almost mechanically towards her boyfriend.

Tommy stood, firmly pushing Alpha 5 aside as he made his way towards Kim.

She stopped when she stood a few feet away from him, eyes drawn to his newly acquired scar. He closed the distance between them, leaving only mere inches between their bodies.

Somewhere in the back of Tommy's mind, he found humor in their situation. There was Kim standing in her pink sweatpants wrapped up in his jacket, and he was dripping wet in his blue boxers in front of her.

One look in her eyes, though, kept Tommy from making any wisecracks.

She reached out, fingers running the length of the puckered skin on his stomach. His muscles contracted involuntarily, the flesh still sensitive. Her hands trailed up his body; the warmth of her skin against his made him shiver slightly.

Her hands skimmed his shoulders, up his neck to frame his face.

"I feel like I'm dreaming," she whispered.

"Then it's time to wake up," he whispered back.

"It's really you," she said, and he smiled sadly at the wonder in her voice.

"In the flesh." He grabbed her left hand, moving it to press a kiss against her palm.

"Hey, beautiful."

Kim let out a choked laugh, tears stinging her eyes as she pulled his head down to hers, kissing him fiercely. Tommy wrapped his strong arms around her small frame, kissing her just as strongly.

Neither cared that he was soaking wet or nearly naked as he kissed her in front of all their friends. The need to be close to one another was too great to think about anything else.

Adam passed by the pair, walking to stand beside Billy and Alpha.

"I think he's fine, Alpha," he said with a smile. "I think we all are."

* * *

_It seems like such a happy ending...hahahaha_


	21. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note:** Without further delay, chapter 20. Please read and review. Hope you like it!_

_And a message from my beta: she greatly apologizes for the delay but cannot wait to see your reactions and is super-psyched about what I'm currently working on. :)_

* * *

**Men's Quarters**  
**Command Center**  
**Tommy's Room**  
**4:08 PM**

Tommy stepped out of his private bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He paused upon seeing Kimberly, her small form wrapped up in his white sheets as she stared up at him.

He threw the towel onto the floor carelessly, crossing the room shirtless in his red sweatpants before crawling into the bed behind her. Wrapping his strong arms around her small frame, he pulled her tight against his chest.

Kim interlocked their fingers, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand.

She turned in his arms, and they held each other's gaze for several seconds. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"I was so scared," she whispered to him.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Kim smiled. "Only you would apologize for dying."

He smiled back. "You told me not to leave you, but I did. You know I hate breaking my word."

The smile slowly fell from her face, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I watched you die, Tommy. Don't ever make me go through something like that again."

His heart broke at her pained expression, and he kissed her firmly on the forehead before resting his against hers.

"I promise."

Kim could see the sincerity in his brown eyes, and she pressed a kiss against his lips. Tommy closed his eyes, eternally grateful to be alive to spend this time with the woman he loved. He kissed Kim harder, lips swaying gently over hers. Her hands cupped his face as he rolled them over, his lean frame covering hers.

Their kisses only fanned the flames of their passion for one another, and Kim let out a small moan as Tommy's lips trailed down her neck. Tommy settled himself comfortably between her thighs, kissing from her neck down her chest. Kim quickly discarded his green and white jacket, throwing it across the room. He nipped at her breasts through her wifebeater; the hard peaks were visible through the thin material.

Kim squeezed his hips with her legs, and the two rolled over so that she was on top. She leaned down, kissing him fiercely as his hands ran along her back.

Tommy pulled back from her, eyeing her undershirt intensely.

"Take it off," he whispered hoarsely.

She complied, grabbing the ends of her shirt before pulling it over her head, brown hair cascading past her exposed shoulders.

Tommy leaned forward and captured her left breast in his hot mouth. She gasped, hand sinking into his damp hair as he suckled. One of his hands pressed against the small of her back while the other snaked into her sweatpants, passing her panties to play with her brown curls. His middle finger gently massaged her clit and she groaned loudly, grinding against his finger.

Tommy flipped them over, releasing her breasts to help her remove her pants and underwear. Kim grabbed him by his biceps once she was naked, pulling him up to kiss him again. His hands made quick work of pulling his sweatpants down, and he kicked them off his body onto the floor.

His erection pressed against her inner thigh as their tongues dueled in a heated kiss. Kim rolled them back over; Tommy hissed when the head of him came in contact with her heat.

"Condom," he reminded her.

She shook her head. "I want you inside me… no barriers."

Tommy was momentarily shocked. Then he groaned, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he slipped into her body.

Kim moaned softly as he filled her, stretching her muscles to fit him. His hands locked onto her waist while her hands latched onto his chest.

Slowly, Kim lifted on him, sinking down just as slowly, rolling her hips in a small circle. Tommy met her thrusts with his own slow ones, causing her to gasp.

The two continued on at a slow pace for some time. Tommy's jaw tightened at the way her walls clenched tightly around his shaft on each downward stroke.

Kim's hand trailed down his chest to his abdomen, and her fingers lightly ran over the scar on his stomach. Tommy's stomach contracted at the sensation, the skin still sensitive. Kim's eyes glazed over as she looked at the puckered skin.

In the background, the six beep chime of Tommy's communicator rang out.

"**Tommy, this is Rocky… come in**."

Tommy leaned up, capturing her lips with his as his hands cupped her face. Kim's hands slid around him, her nails digging into his shoulders. He rocked upward hard, and she gasped loudly as the new angle allowed him to grind his pelvis against her clit.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear, taking the sensitive lobe between his teeth. "I never want to cause you pain."

Kim closed her eyes as his words washed over her. She panted heavily in his ear as she rolled her hips faster against his. She turned her head, kissing him quickly before pushing him back to lie against the sheets.

Kim fisted the sheets beside her, drawing them to her body as she threw her head back. Tommy gripped her hips in his hands as their pace quickened, rattling the headboard.

"I won't leave you again," he promised breathlessly, face twisting when he felt her contract around him.

Kim moaned loudly above him, face contorting as pleasure raced through her veins. She rocked her hips over his at a furious pace, and Tommy thrust against her harder when he felt her thrusts become frenzied.

Tommy's communicator chimed once more. "**Tommy, answer me.**"

Tommy sat up, pulling Kimberly close to him as he wrapped his arms around her back. She clung to him, thighs tightening around him and nails biting deep into his skin. Tommy began pounding into her furiously. Kim let out a powerful wail as he hit that spot that made her thighs tremble and left her breathless. He sucked on her neck.

"Yes," she cried into his ear. "I'm so close…"

Kim's communicator beeped and was also ignored. "**Kim, Tommy… can one of you please respond?**"

Tommy gritted his teeth, the heat around his cock becoming unbearable. He kissed her sloppily as the flood of pleasure hit him.

"I love you," he whispered against her lips before shuddering, hips jerking sporadically as he came inside her. Kim let out a loud cry as his orgasm triggered her own, and she trembled as she climaxed around him.

Tommy laid back, eyes closed as he tried to slow his breathing.

Kim's limbs felt weak in the aftermath of their coupling, and she rested comfortably against Tommy's chest. "I think… one of us should probably answer Rocky."

"Do we have to?" asked the white ranger with a pout.

Kim folded her arms across his chest, smiling down at him. "He won't stop until you do."

"**Tommy, can you **_**please**_** pick up? This is Rocky.**"

She grinned as the red ranger proved her right.

Tommy rolled his eyes; he could feel the tremors in Kim's body as she laughed. He reached over to his nightstand, bringing his communicator closer.

"I read you, Rocky. What is it?" he asked, still somewhat out of breath.

There was a pause on the other end. "**Yeah… um, I know you and Kim are probably uh… **_**getting reacquainted**_**…**" They could hear the faint sound of a smack on the other end followed by a loud snort. **"-but we have a situation here. We need you both in the main control room. Now.**"

Tommy growled into his communicator. "This better be important, Rock."

"**It is.**"

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

**6:17 PM**

Tommy and Kimberly entered the main control room, feet bare. Tommy crossed his arms over his white sweatshirt, red sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

"What's the emergency?" he asked gruffly.

Kim pressed herself into his side.

Rocky looked up at Zordon, indicating that the Eltarian was the reason for the interruption.

"FIRST OFF, RANGERS, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR SUCCESSFUL MISSION YESTERDAY AT THE LUNAR PALACE. YOU HAVE REESTABLISHED PEACE IN THE UNIVERSE BY RETRIEVING THE LAST THREE SHARDS OF DARKNESS. NOW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MERGE IT BACK INTO ONE SOURCE OF POWER."

"What are you going to do with it now that it's back together?" asked Adam, who was resting heavily on a cane.

"MY FATHER AND THE OTHER ELDERS OF ELTAR FROZE THE IMANYD TO MAKE THE SHARDS OF LIGHT, DARKNESS, AND BALANCE. MY PLAN IS TO REUNITE THE SHARDS AND MELT THE IMANYD BACK INTO ITS LIQUID FORM."

"Any word on where Zedd and Rita are?" asked Tommy. He was holding onto Kim's hand tightly, their fingers interlocked.

"I've run a search for their bio signatures across the galaxy and neighboring ones," said Alpha. A map of the solar system appeared, with two blinking dots on the screen. "After fleeing the moon, they appear to have stopped in the M51 Galaxy on Tarmak 3."

The rangers missed Zordon's solemn expression in reaction to Alpha's words.

"Do we know if Rita and Zedd survived the journey to Tarmak? Or why they even went there in the first place?" asked Billy. "We already have confirmation that Scorpina and Goldar are dead."

Tommy felt Kimberly stiffen at Goldar's name; he squeezed her hand gently to reassure her that Goldar could never hurt any of them again.

"We are not sure," said the small robot hesitantly.

Rocky shook his head. "I doubt they made it. T and 'Sha hacked them up pretty good. Unless someone's _real _nice and helps them, they couldn't have made it."

"Never mind that," said Tommy. "What about the Imanyd?"

"Ah!" said Alpha 5 excitedly. "This way."

The teens followed the robot to a small table off to the side with a large basin built into it. Fourteen small identical shards lay inside along with a much larger shard in the middle.

"RANGERS, YOU ARE NEEDED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REUNITING THE IMANYD BACK INTO ITS BALANCED FORM."

The teens looked up at him in confusion.

"AS NINJETTI WARRIORS, YOU ARE ABLE TO MANIPULATE THE IMANYD. YOU MUST DO SO NOW TO RESTORE IT TO ITS NATURAL FORM. CONCENTRATE ON THE ENERGY WITHIN THE SHARDS AND WILL THEM INTO THE FORM YOU DESIRE."

The rangers looked at each other before spreading out around the shards, hands raised to their sides so that they were touching.

One by one, their eyes emitted a pale blue glow as they tapped into their Imanyd powers. The shards lifted into the air, spinning around in a circle slowly before rapidly gaining speed. After several seconds, the shards stopped spinning, suspended in midair. The blue glow they emitted increased in intensity, becoming blinding. At once, a light blue liquid spilled from the shards, as if the shards were melting.

The largest shard was the last to liquefy; as the last drop fell in the basin, a bright white light flashed before the rangers, sending them backwards.

"IT IS DONE."

The teens climbed to their feet, moving close to see the swirling pool of energy.

Zordon's eyes were fixed on the Imanyd, and he felt a great weight lift from him. He had finally succeeded in bringing all the pieces of the Imanyd back together. All the destruction, the pain… centuries of fighting and turmoil came down to this moment.

"THE IMANYD HAS FINALLLY BEEN RESTORED."

He looked down at the teens before him – bruised and tired.

"YOU HAVE HELPED ME FULFILL MY MISSION AND BROUGHT PEACE BACK TO THE UNIVERSE. BECAUSE OF YOU, THE WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL HAS ENDED, AND THE DAMAGE DONE BY MY PEOPLE SO MANY MILLENIA AGO CAN NOW BE REPAIRED."

The teens looked up at their mentor in silence, the gravity of his words hitting them.

"YOU HAVE RESTORED MY PEOPLE'S HONOR AND SHOWN INCREDIBLE BRAVERY IN THIS JOURNEY, RANGERS." He paused. "MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT IN ORDER TO COMPLETE MY MISSION, THE CHOSEN WARRIORS WERE MERE CHILDREN. I UNDERSTAND THE PAIN OF WAR, OF MAKING CHOICES THAT GO AGAINST YOUR BELIEFS IN ORDER TO FIGHT FOR THE GREATER GOOD… I WISH THIS WAS NEVER FORCED UPON YOU… AND I AM SORRY."

The teens looked awkwardly at each other, not sure how to respond to Zordon's apology. They knew he was being sincere, and it was something they needed to hear from him.

But did it change anything?

"YOU HAVE SERVED AS MY RANGERS FOR THESE LAST FEW YEARS, SHOWING REMARKABLE VALOR AND DETERMINATION. YOU SIX TRULY EMBODY ALL THAT IT MEANS TO BE A POWER RANGER AND A NINJETTI WARRIOR. I KNOW NINJOR WOULD BE PROUD."

The rangers looked up at Zordon with a hint of sadness in their eyes as they remembering their fallen friend… another casualty to the war.

"TOMMY. KIMBERLY."

The two looked to Zordon.

"ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE LEARNED HOW TO CONTROL THE EFFECTS OF THE SHARD YOU TOUCHED, IT WILL CONTINUE TO TROUBLE YOU IN THE FUTURE. NOW THAT THE IMANYD IS BACK TO ITS NATURAL FORM, I BELIEVE YOU CAN REMOVE THE SHARD'S EFFECT FROM YOU… PERMANENTLY."

The pink and white rangers looked at each other before nodding, walking over to the shimmering pool.

"PLACE YOUR HANDS ABOVE THE IMANYD, AND CONCENTRATE ON THE SHARD'S ENERGY WITHIN YOU. IT IS STRONGER THAN THE ENERGY FROM THE NINJETTI, AS IT IS PHYSICALLY TIED TO YOUR BODY INSTEAD OF YOUR POWER COIN."

The two closed their eyes, hands hovering about the Imanyd. Their eyes began to glow as they tapped into the power of the shard.

"FORCE THE SHARD OUT. ENVISION IT IN YOUR MIND AND EXPEL IT FROM YOUR BODY. USE YOUR CONNECTION TO THE IMANYD TO GATHER THE STRENGTH TO FIGHT IT."

The other four rangers watched in fascination as Tommy and Kimberly did as Zordon told them. They gasped when the two lurched forward, hands clenching the edges of the table as their mouths opened in a silent scream.

"Oh God," breathed Billy.

He watched his friends contort in pain, a blue mist flowing out of their mouths and hands down into the basin. They remained that way for several seconds before going limp.

The remaining rangers rushed to their sides immediately. "You guys okay?" asked Rocky, a hand wrapped around Kim's arm as she breathed heavily.

"Yeah," she said coughing, looking over at Tommy. "We're good."

Tommy shut his eyes, searching for any trace of the Shard of Desire within him. He smiled when he found none, brown eyes connecting with Billy's concerned blue ones.

"It's gone."

He looked to Kim for confirmation, and from her wide smile, he knew it was the same for her. Grinning, she ran to him, hugging him fiercely.

Billy tore his gaze away from the happy couple, looking up at Zordon.

"So what now?" he asked. The others turned to look at him.

"You chose us to retrieve the Imanyd shards and restore the Imanyd, and we've fulfilled that mission. Where does that leave us?"

It was quiet in the control room save for the soft hum of the generators.

The teens waited anxiously for Zordon's response. Billy was right – they did what he asked. The shards were back on the side of Good, and Rita and Zedd were long gone from the moon.

Did the Earth need the power rangers anymore?

Zordon stared down at them. "I BELIEVE –"

Loud beeping noises from the control panels interrupted the Eltarian, and Alpha raced to them.

"Ay yi yi yi yi… Zordon, we are receiving a transmission." Alpha pressed more buttons. "I cannot trace its origin."

"THAT IS FINE, ALPHA. SEND IT THROUGH."

The rangers gathered around the viewing globe, curious as to who would be contacting them.

Static filled the large orb for several seconds before it cleared, revealing a hideous creature.

"What the _fuck_ is that?" whispered Rocky, face twisting to show his disgust.

Billy gave a grim smile. "I have to admit… that is the same exact inquiry I have."

On the screen was a black and gold creature whose head resembled that of a tiger-striped hammerhead shark. It wore a large black cape on its back. Its face was two-toned, the top left and bottom right sides gold and the remaining parts black. Its hands were long and thin with long black fingernails on the ends. It clutched a large golden staff.

From what they could tell, the being was male, and his face revealed his mood.

He was pissed.

"Zordon…" he growled, hand tightening around his staff.

"MASTER VILE. TO WHAT DO I OWE THI –"

"Shut your mouth, wizard," he snapped angrily. "You know."

The rangers looked from Zordon to the being he called Master Vile in confusion.

"How dare you send your rangers to my daughter's home," hissed the ugly sorcerer. "Do you have _any_ idea what condition she was in when they arrived on Serpentera?"

"RITA UNDERSTOOD THE CONSEQUENCES OF HER ACTIONS, VILE."

Rocky's eyes widened in shock. "_That's_ Rita's dad? He's ugly as sh –"

Master Vile stood angrily, eyes flashing. "My daughter did not deserve what your rangers did to her! Don't you dare try to justify their actions."

He sat back down slowly."Imagine my surprise when one of my slaves informs me that my children arrived on Tarmak 3, only for my happiness to give way to sorrow when I see she is near death."

He pointed at the screen. "Your rangers attacked my daughter and son-in-law. Goldar and Scorpina are dead."

"THERE WERE CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES."

Vile laughed loudly. "Casualties?" He pointed at the rangers. "These are your rangers, correct? These six before me? Two of Rita's warriors are gone and she and Zedd struggle to fight death, while your six remain alive and well. Only one side suffered casualties, Zordon. Do not insult my intelligence!"

Zordon said nothing.

"When we crossed paths centuries ago on Regda 2, we had an agreement. In exchange for helping you retrieve the shard from Diabolico, you would allow me to do as I wished in the M51 Galaxy and leave me in peace. You remember that, wizard?"

Zordon nodded. "AND THAT AGREEMENT WAS NEVER BETRAYED."

Vile's face twisted in anger. "Never betrayed? _My children mean everything to me!_" he screamed, eyes flashing.

"Finding my eldest nearly dead on my doorstep by the hands of your _rangers_," he spit out the word, "is far from leaving me in peace, Zordon!"

The teens flinched at Master Vile's caustic tone.

"MY AGREEMENT WAS MADE WITH YOU, NOT YOUR CHILDREN," said Zordon stonily. "I WOULD HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM EXTENDING IT TO THEM HAD RITA AND ZEDD NOT POSSESSED THE SHARDS. YOU KNEW I WAS IN SEARCH OF THEM, VILE. THEY DID NOT WISH TO RELINQUISH THEIR HOLD… OUR BATTLE WAS INEVITABLE."

"Your battle was your undoing." Vile sat back on his throne. "I refuse to allow you to get away with what you've done, Zordon. I have a message for you, and I implore you to take heed."

Zordon stared at the viewing screen. "WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE?"

"Rita and Zedd will remain on Tarmak 3 until they have fully recovered from their injuries. Given how extensive they are, it will be some time before they are at full speed."

He leaned in close to the screen. "I will be returning with them to your galaxy, and once I arrive, we will annihilate you and your power rangers for what you have done to my family. Everything you hold dear will be destroyed, and your precious Imanyd will be ours."

Master Vile sat back, face devoid of emotion.

"You have been warned."

The transmission ended, showing static once again in the viewing globe.

Zordon sighed. "I WAS AFRAID THIS MIGHT HAPPEN."

Tommy turned to Zordon, body rigid. The others in the room could see the rage building in his eyes.

"You son of a bitch…" he hissed.

Rocky moved in front of the white ranger. "T, calm down…"

Tommy shook his head angrily. "No, fuck this."

The red ranger attempted to grab his friend by the shoulders.

"Tommy, look, I'm sure there's a good explanation for – "

The white ranger grabbed Rocky by his shirt. "_Stop_ trying to find the good in this." He shoved Rocky backwards, angry gaze turned on Zordon.

"You knew… this whole fucking time..."

"I MERELY GUESSED THIS MIGHT BE A RESULT OF THE –"

Tommy slammed his fists into console. "_YOU FUCKING KNEW!_" he shouted.

Everyone remained silent.

"All your bullshit about feeling _sorry_, for not wanting to involve _children_ in this war? You knew since the beginning that if we were to attack Rita and Zedd, Vile would come after us."

Adam rested tiredly against one of the pillars in the room. "This will never end…" the black ranger whispered. "No matter what we do, it won't stop."

Rocky looked at Adam with an unreadable expression, sliding down to sit on the floor numbly.

"You set us up from the start," said Billy emotionlessly. "We were too naïve to understand what we were signed up for, too eager to do the right thing… and now you've tied us to an unwanted destiny we can never break free from."

Zordon looked at the blue ranger sadly. "I AM SORRY."

Kim snapped, eyes narrowed in anger. "Stop _saying_ that! You're not sorry! Do you understand that we have lives? Dreams of our own?" She threw her hands up. "We don't want to fight your battles for the rest of our lives, Zordon!"

"I UNDERSTAND, KIMBERLY. IF I COULD PROTECT THE UNIVERSE ON MY OWN, I WOULD GLADLY. BUT YOU ARE THE ONES WHO –"

"Shut up," whispered Rocky. "Don't start that." He clambered to his feet. "You lied to us. Again."

"I DID NOT LIE."

"An omission of the truth is the same as a lie," said Aisha softly.

"You knew Rita was his daughter. You knew you two had an agreement from before that you promised to honor. You knew that by possessing a shard, we would have to fight Rita, possibly even kill her," Adam said. He walked up to Zordon, cane in hand.

"And you knew that the fight yesterday wouldn't end just there. You knew there was a good chance that Master Vile would be furious that we nearly killed his daughter and would retaliate… and yet you said nothing. You let us believe this was over, and it wasn't."

Zordon stared down at the black ranger for several seconds. "I KNOW."

"How powerful is Master Vile?" asked Billy tiredly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, warding off a migraine.

"HE IS A POWERFUL SORCERER, CAPABLE OF WIELDING BOTH DARK AND LIGHT MAGIC."

"But he is not connected to the Imanyd?" asked Billy.

"NO. SORCERY IS NOT DERIVED FROM POWER BUT SPIRIT ENERGY. MAGIC DOES NOT GIVE ONE POWER IN THE WAY THE IMANYD DOES. MAGIC IS SIMPLY A VESSEL, A WAY TO HARNESS THE SPIRIT ENERGY THAT IS ALREADY PRESENT AND TRANSFORM IT FROM ONE FORM INTO ANOTHER. YOU CAN INTERNALIZE IMANYD ENERGY AND WIELD IT. MAGIC ONLY ALLOWS FOR SPIRIT ENERGY TO BE MANIPULATED BY USE OF SPELLS AND SCRIPTURES."

"What makes him so powerful?" asked Adam.

"MASTER VILE CAN MANIPULATE VAST AMOUNTS OF SPIRIT ENERGY AT ONE TIME - SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN HIS DAUGHTER. AND HE IS NOT HESITANT TO USE THE SPIRIT ENERGY OF THE DEAD AND THE LIVING."

"What?" Billy asked, startled.

"SPIRIT ENERGY IS DERIVED FROM LIVING THINGS. IT IS EVERYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE, BUT IT CANNOT BE SEEN OR USED WITHOUT THE USE OF SPELLS CREATED BY THE ORDER OF MERIDIAN. THEY LOCKED AWAY THE SPIRIT ENERGY IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT, BUT THERE EXIST SCROLLS TO ACCESS THAT ENERGY SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY.

"THERE IS ALSO THE SPIRIT ENERGY OF THE DEAD. THAT ENERGY IS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL, AS IT IS MUCH OLDER AND STRONGER THAN THAT OF THE LIVING DUE TO AGE. THE RULE IS TO LEAVE THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD AS THEY ARE, OUT OF RESPECT. MASTER VILE STUDIED THE SCROLLS OF THE ORDER, AND DUE TO HIS INTELLECT, WAS ABLE TO CREATE HIS OWN THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO ACCESS THE SPIRIT ENERGY OF THE DEAD."

"So he's a nutjob… perfect…" muttered Rocky.

"IF MASTER VILE JOINS FORCES WITH RITA AND LORD ZEDD, THEY WILL BE NEARLY UNSTOPPABLE. DESPITE TAKING THE SHARDS FROM THEM, YOU HAVE ONLY LIMITED THEIR POWER. THE IMANYD ENERGY FROM THE SHARD IS STILL WITHIN THEM, AND IT WILL FORCE THEM TO RELY HEAVILY ON MASTER VILE."

"What are his defenses like?" asked the red ranger.

"VILE HAS CONQUERED THE ENTIRE M51 GALAXY, WHICH CONSISTS OF NINE PLANETS. HIS ARMY CONSISTS OF SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF VARIOUS SPECIES. I IMAGINE THOSE SOLDIERS, IN ADDITION TO THE TENGU AND PUTTIES, WILL BE USED IN HIS ATTACK."

Zordon watched the rangers carefully.

"WHEN VILE ARRIVES, HE WILL BRING HIS ARMIES WITH HIM. THE EARTH CANNOT WITHSTAND A MASSIVE ATTACK LIKE THAT… NOT WITHOUT PROTECTION." He paused. "IF THE EARTH WERE TO FALL TO MASTER VILE, HE WOULD BE IN CONTROL OF THE IMANYD."

"And all hell would break loose," whispered Aisha.

"There's no one else who can fight?" asked Kim in a desperate tone.

"THERE IS NO TEAM THAT IS AS POWERFUL AS YOU. AND THERE IS NO WAY TO FIND ANY MORE NINJETTI WARRIORS – NOW THAT THE TEMPLE IS DESTROYED AND NINJOR IS GONE, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE."

Tommy stood off to the side, arms crossed over his chest. "You want to know if we will stand and fight, right?"

There was a tense silence.

"YES."

The white ranger ran a hand through his hair, attempting to digest the information they had just received.

"How long until Vile gets to Earth?" Tommy asked softly.

"I HAVE NO WAY OF TRULY KNOWING, BUT FROM HIS LOCATION AND WHAT I KNOW OF RITA AND ZEDD'S INJURIES, THEY NEED TIME TO RECUPERATE. MASTER VILE ALSO HAS TO GATHER HIS ARMY AND TRAVEL FROM M51 TO YOUR GALAXY WITH HIS WARSHIPS. AT THE LATEST, YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS UNTIL HE INVADES EARTH."

The white ranger looked at his teammates, and they could tell from his expression what was coming.

"You'll have our answer then."

* * *

**Greg Oliver's Cabin**

**Living Room**

**8:43 PM**

"This is bullshit. This is absolute bullshit! He can't do this to us!"

Aisha watched the pink ranger pace angrily across the wooden floor of the cabin.

"We have other obligations – we have lives! This is completely unfair!" she yelled.

Rocky shook his head. "We accepted the responsibility. Even though we were just children, we have to see it to the end."

"We _did_ see it to the end," hissed Tommy. He sat in the loveseat staring up at the red ranger.

"Zordon asked us to find the shards – we did. He asked us to retrieve them from the Lunar Palace – done. He needed to restore the Imanyd back to its original form – piece of cake." Tommy stood. "We held up our end of the deal; he's the one not honoring the agreement."

Adam sulked next to Aisha. "And we see that's not something out of the ordinary for him…" he mumbled.

Rocky looked at Tommy, confused. "You've gotta be kidding me! Okay, yeah, so Zordon lied, is that really all that new?" he joked. "And honestly, it doesn't matter. What's done is done – we can't just stop being rangers because we're pissed."

Aisha sighed. "Guys, Rocky's right. Think of all the innocent people out there that will suffer because of what we did."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "_Excuse_ me? "

"We went up to the Lunar Palace; we blew up their base of operations. We nearly killed Zedd and Rita…."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "You're falling for it."

She looked at him in confusion, so he continued, "You're letting Zordon get to you. None of this was our fault."

Billy looked at Aisha incredulously. "I wholeheartedly agree with Tommy. The fact of the matter is that the blame belongs solely with Zordon. He came to us and recruited high school sophomores to essentially steal from and murder others across the universe because he was unable to."

Billy's voice increased in volume. "He's the one that sent us to fight Rita and Lord Zedd on the moon under false pretenses, allowing us to believe that taking the shards and getting rid of them was the only way to put an end to this war."

The blue ranger paused. "And he's the one that _conveniently_ forgot to mention that in ridding the world of one evil, we would unleash another… more powerful one than anticipated."

Billy stood before the yellow ranger. "Don't let him make you feel responsible for something he did."

Rocky growled. "So what do you propose, Billy? We just hang up our robes and spandex? Kick back and watch as the world is obliterated?"

He got in the blue ranger's face. "You're so fucking fixated on this perfect little life you'll have once being a ranger is over. Newsflash, bro, there won't _be _a world for you to live in. Master Vile will kill everyone and everything."

"And you think it's our responsibility to fix Zordon's mistake?" asked Kim loudly, making her way over to the red ranger. "Rocky, we had no idea what attacking Rita and Zedd would do. And so what if Billy wants a normal life after this? It's not a crime given what we've been through. Your alternative doesn't sound much better – living in a world of chaos and destruction _for the rest of my fucking life. _What kind of life is that?"

Rocky said nothing, jaw clenched in anger.

"I'm tired of being punished for Zordon's problems," said Adam in exasperation. "I'm stuck walking with a goddamned cane because of it!"

The red ranger's eyes softened when he saw the condition his friend was in. The black metal cane rested between the black ranger's thighs, his hand clenching it tightly.

"I was faced with the very real possibility of permanent paralysis because of this." Adam pointed at Tommy. "You know he died? You remember him, our friend… and Kim…" he trailed off weakly, eyeing the pink ranger.

He didn't need to say anything else.

Adam rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I understand your point, Rocky, I really do. The world… the universe would suffer if we decided to stop being rangers."

"And you could bear the weight of their deaths on your conscience?" asked Rocky.

"Not at all," said Adam honestly. "But I'm not going to continue to destroy myself in the process of saving the world."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I want to _live _in this world, Rock. But I also want to have a life _worth_ living."

The red ranger turned to look at his girlfriend, and her eyes held sadness in them.

"He's right, Rocky." She shrugged listlessly. "Before this… I was okay with being a power ranger because I thought it was going to end. The only reason I'd fight now would be out of guilt, plain and simple."

She wrung her hands. "And I'm not even sure that's strong enough anymore."

Tommy scoffed. "Not to mention we're not even sure this is really the end. We thought it was before, and look what happened.

"Say we end up killing Master Vile and the rest of his family?" The white ranger scowled. "His psycho brother might come out of the woodworks or something to exact revenge… what are the chances Zordon cut a deal with him, too?"

Kim walked over to Rocky, ignoring Tommy's snide remark. "We can't keep doing this, Rocky. We can't keep letting Zordon control our lives and our actions because _he_ made a mistake. "

She could see his resolve cracking and tried a different tactic. "Think about your family, Rock."

He shook his head. "That's a low blow, Kim."

"It's the truth," she pressed. "I know you're thinking that by protecting the Earth, you're protecting your family and keeping them safe. But think of what you'd be missing. You'll miss Adriana growing up... your brothers and sisters going to high school and college… and what happens to them if something happens to you, huh? What about Maria?"

Rocky closed his eyes as he thought of his family. "The world is more important than that. I can't be selfish," he whispered.

"Who says we'll win?" she asked.

"We have to try, Kim. We can't just do nothing when we know this is coming."

He looked around at his friends helplessly. "If all of you can honestly say that you can sit there and do nothing - and I mean _nothing_ - knowing billions of people are going to die just because we decided that we've had enough…"

The others looked at each other uncomfortably, silence in the room.

"That's what I thought," said Rocky.

He turned to look at them. "No matter how angry you are, how sick and tired you are of the pain and suffering we've gone through, you know none of you can stomach the mere thought of the genocide that would happen if we left the Earth, the _universe_ defenseless."

Billy looked over at their second-in-command. "Can you stand to fight in another war you didn't cause?"

The red ranger tensed. "Billy…"

"No," said the blue ranger fiercely. "Can you handle killing one more person? Another day of battle where a civilian dies as a consequence? Or watching one of your teammates get injured - or worse?"

The red ranger glanced at his other teammates, eyes resting on Aisha's petite form.

"And could you stomach every day having to look the one person in the eye who you know is responsible for every moment of pain, every second of fear you experience? Serving under him while resenting him with every fiber of your being as you go out to war and he watches from safety?" Billy shook his head. "A part of me dies every time we step on the battlefield. I don't have much left to lose at this point, but I'd prefer to keep it."

The red ranger rested against the wall, sliding down slowly until he was sitting on the floor.

"So what does this mean? What're we going to do?" He observed his friends. "I understand we can't keep going… but giving up is not an option."

Tommy sat in silence, hands holding his head. Kim sat beside him in the loveseat, expression just as lost.

Aisha hugged her knees to her chest, and Adam rested his head against her shoulder. Rocky remained against the wall, eyes fixed on the ceiling fan.

The blue ranger stared at the floor, eyes unseeing as his brain searched for a solution.

He snapped his fingers suddenly.

"You have something?" asked Tommy in surprise.

"Affirmative."


	22. Chapter 21

_**Author's Note:** Please read and review! Feedback is appreciated. :)_

* * *

**Angel Grove High School**

**Mrs. Appleby's Classroom**

**One week later**

**Tuesday, 12:03 PM**

"Now class… can anyone tell me what year the French Revolution ended?"

Kim blew a strand of stray hair from her face as she looked at Ms. Appleby with a blank expression.

'_Who gives a shit?'_ thought Kim dryly, brown eyes trailing upwards to the clock above the older woman's head. Class would be over soon.

The loud ringing of the bell caused Kim to jump up out of her chair, and she raced out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her. The pink ranger looked around the hallway, lip tucked between her teeth as she searched for her boyfriend.

"Please go away, Eugene," she heard to her right.

Kim rolled her eyes as she saw Eugene Skullovitch saddled up beside a young girl in a blue sundress with dark hair.

"Hey, only my mom calls me Eugene," he said, grabbing her hand. "I just wanna talk."

The Asian girl snatched her hand away. "Then talk to Bulk. I'm busy."

Kimberly walked up behind him slowly.

"Come on," he pleaded, gum smacking loudly. The young girl flinched in disgust. He reached out a hand, only to be surprised when he felt a tight grip around his wrist.

"What're you doing, Skull?" asked Kim irritably.

"Kimmie!" he yelled happily. "I was just talkin' to my friend here but, ah…" His eyes scanned over her body, stopping at her revealed midriff. "We can talk instead."

She rolled her eyes, shoving him out of the way before walking over to the young girl.

"You okay?" asked Kim.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, he didn't really do anything."

Kim gave a lopsided smile. "Skull's pretty harmless… just has trouble processing the word no."

Kim felt thin hands come around her waist, and she closed her eyes, willing herself not to get violent… or vomit.

"So, babe… were you gettin' jealous? Don't think I forgot about you," he said with a grin.

A loud clang from behind made all three jump.

"Move."

Kim felt Skull's hands drop away from her quickly.

"Tommy," said Skull with a nervous laugh. "You know I was just kiddin'." He slapped the muscular boy on the arm.

Tommy didn't even flinch. "Leave. _Now_."

Skull scurried down the corridor, and Kim turned to her boyfriend with a smile.

"Hi," she said, brushing a soft kiss against his lips. "I was looking for you."

"Sorry… had to have a word with Mr. Raiford," he said before kissing her hard on the lips. Kim giggled softly, arms wrapping around his neck as their kiss became more heated.

Tommy pulled back, eyes darker than normal as he stared at her. He saw something move behind Kim and only then became aware of the young girl behind them with the flushed face.

Kim turned quickly. "Sorry about that…?"

"Cassie," the girl filled in. "Cassie Chan."

"Right, Cassie. I'm Kim Hart and this is my boyfriend, T-"

"Tommy Oliver," finished Cassie.

The pink and white rangers raised an eyebrow which made Cassie roll her eyes. "I'd have to be either dumb or dead to not know who you two are."

Cassie grabbed her English book from her locker before closing and locking it. Tommy noticed the title.

"Othello? You're a freshman?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Sophomore. I'm just doing a report on the play."

A loud huff from behind caught her attention, and Cassie grinned when she saw a brown-haired girl in white shorts and a red shirt walk towards her.

"Cass, please tell me you did the chem assignment? I totally forgot and I know Crawford's gonna murder me."

Cassie laughed. "Ashley, it's not due for another week. Relax."

The girl in red breathed a sigh of relief. "Really? Cool. I thought I was getting an F for sure."

Ashley finally noticed they had an audience, and she flushed quickly from embarrassment.

"H-Hi," she stuttered.

Kim felt Tommy pinch her side. "Hi. Ashley, right?"

The girl nodded. "You're Kim Hart." Her eyes moved to the boy in the black muscle shirt. "And you're Tommy Oliver."

Kim bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the dreamy way the girl said Tommy's name.

'_I think she's in love,'_ she teased.

'_Hush. I'd be concerned about Cassie if I were you. She's making eyes at you.'_

Kim ignored Tommy's comment.

"Kim stopped Skull from messing with me." Cassie looked at the pink ranger in admiration. "That was very nice of you."

Kim smiled. "Anything to protect someone from the likes of Skull."

The two younger girls laughed, and Tommy fought the urge to roll his eyes. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of lunch for the seniors and class for the underclassmen.

"Oh, we have to go. It was nice meeting you two," said Kim, and she grabbed Tommy's hand tightly as she dragged him behind her. He gave the girls a small smile and a quick wave as he walked away.

"Were we like that?" he asked disgustedly.

"Of course not," she reassured him as they entered the lunchroom. She spotted the others in a far corner of the large room.

Tommy snorted. "What is he doing?" he asked as he looked at the antsy red ranger.

"I think he's trying to be inconspicuous," she said with a smirk.

Rocky looked around the lunch room quickly before leaning into his friend.

"Any luck yet?"

Billy nodded. "It can be done, but it's going to take some time."

"How much time?" Adam asked worriedly.

"Several weeks, maybe four or five."

"But it _can_ work? For sure?" asked the black ranger.

"Affirmative. I just need to go over a few more scrolls from the study to get clarification on a few things."

The blue ranger looked up, waving Kim and Tommy over to their table. Tommy grimaced when he saw their trays.

"Sloppy Joes again?" he asked.

"You love Sloppy Joe," she reminded.

"Yeah… but not three days in a row. Takes away the thrill if we have it every day."

Rocky shrugged. "It's still as good as it was three days ago."

Kim snorted. "Probably because it's the same batch." She looked around. "Where's 'Sha?"

"Student government meeting. They're having lunch with Kaplan," explained Rocky.

Kim reached into her backpack, pulling out a homemade salad and a bottle of water. Her eyes connected with Billy's.

"Tri's with her?"

He nodded. "They have to work out the plans for graduation. It's supposed to be a big celebration this year."

"Should be since we're leaving," she said sadly before turning to Tommy. "Are you coming with me and 'Sha to the mall today?"

Tommy shook his head. "Billy and I have practice today. Can't."

"What about you, Adam?"

The black ranger made the mistake of looking Kim in the eyes, instantly falling for the puppy dog look.

"Dammit," he mumbled, causing her to let out an excited squeal.

"Now we have someone to hold our bags!"

Adam rolled his eyes before drawing close, voice dropping to a whisper. "Are we still meeting up tonight at the warehouse?"

"Affirmative. We have four so far. I have two more in mind. Aisha made some sketches yesterday in art class on how to wire the systems. We just need two more chassis for it to be complete."

* * *

**Angel Grove High School**

**Main Hallway**

**1:23 PM**

"Give me my book, Rocky," growled Kimberly.

The red ranger grinned down at her, book raised high above his head.

"Nope, you gotta jump for it."

Adam shook his head, silently wondering how long it would take Kim to snap and attack.

'_Where's that anatomy book?'_ he thought to himself as he searched through his locker. He froze when he felt someone's gaze on him, and he looked around, seeing no one.

"Last chance," Kim warned.

Rocky stretched his arm higher, lifting onto the tips of his toes.

Smiling sweetly, Kim reared back, swinging her right foot to connect directly with Rocky's shin.

"Shit!" he yelled loudly, book dropping to the floor as he moved to rub his aching leg. Kim bent down, picking up her copy of _Crime and Punishment_ off the floor.

Adam laughed. "She warned you." The red ranger shot him a glare from his hunched over position.

"Hey, Adam."

The black ranger tensed briefly, closing the door to his locker to meet the nervous gaze of Tanya Sloan.

"Tanya… hey," he said, pulse racing.

Kim looked between Tanya and Adam, annoyed when it appeared that the two were going to continue to stare at each other.

"Well," she said loudly. "I'm going to go meet up with Aisha. She said she needed some help with a chemistry problem."

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Kim? Aisha doesn't n-" He paused, aware of the look she was giving him and her gestures at the awkward pair.

"Oh, yeah, you're right… _that _problem. How about I join you?" he said just as loudly.

The red and pink rangers said their goodbyes, walking past the two as they headed down the hall, still in Adam's line of sight.

Rocky turned at the last second, motioning as if holding an invisible woman and kissing her passionately with his eyes closed. Kim smacked him hard in the back of his head before sending Adam an apologetic glance. She smiled encouragingly and waved goodbye, grabbing the red ranger by his arm as they disappeared around the corner.

"Remind me to give Kim a 'thank you' for trying to give us space," commented Tanya.

Adam smiled. "Yeah."

His smile dropped when he saw a shadow move down the hall, and he could have sworn he saw a flash of gold armor, but it disappeared just as quickly. He shook himself, focusing back on Tanya.

Tanya looked him over. "You look really…" She paused. "Hot."

Adam's eyes widened as his face flushed red, and Tanya laughed hard. He nervously ran a hand down the front of his black ribbed sweater.

"I'm sorry, I just said that to get a reaction," she teased. "You do look really nice, though."

"I think you look beautiful," he admitted softly, and it was Tanya's turn to blush.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you on Sunday. I had some stuff to take care of at the last minute. And I wasn't avoiding you these last few days. There's just been a lot on my mind."

Adam had been working with Billy every night in the Command Center on his legs. The blue ranger had informed him that it would take some physical therapy and patience, but he would be up and walking in no time. Adam was walking without his cane; though he did have a slight limp, which he told everyone was a result of a pulled muscle on Sunday. His soccer coach put him on the bench until he was fully healed, not wanting Adam to overexert himself.

She smiled. "I figured something came up. You're too much of a gentleman to do something like that for no reason."

He smiled back. "So where are you headed?"

"Study hall. You?" she asked.

"Same. I'm heading to the library now. You want to –"

"Sure," she said quickly. "I mean… yeah, I'd like that."

The two walked side by side to the library, hands brushing against each other's every now and then. The black ranger held the door open for her, and she smiled gratefully. He grinned, only to freeze when he saw the shadow from earlier reappear; for a moment, he saw Scorpina standing in the hallway of their school. He blinked in shock and she disappeared, leaving Adam unsettled. Looking around cautiously, Adam closed the door to the library, following behind his friend. Tanya found them a table in a secluded part of the library, and the two sat down.

"So are you doing anything the first Saturday of next month?" she asked after a few minutes. "Or will you be busy again?"

Adam smiled. "As far as I know, my weekend's free then. Did you have something in mind?"

"Yeah. There's going to be a barbecue for the employees at my mom's firm," she explained. "It's open to employees and their families and friends. My parents want me to be there and told me I can invite friendss. I was wondering if…"

"I'd like to go?" he supplied.

"Aisha and Rocky will be there, too," she added quickly. "So it wouldn't be like a date or anything."

Adam nodded slowly, not sure if he liked the sound of that. "What time?"

He heard someone laughing lowly; the hair on the back of his neck raised as he realized it was Scorpina's laugh.

"From noon to five, but we don't have to stay the whole time."

"Okay, yeah, that sounds cool." He gave a shy smile, ignoring the dark chuckling in the room. "I wouldn't mind going on a date, though."

She grinned. "Are you asking?"

"Depends… are you accepting?"

Adam had no idea what he was doing with Tanya, but the flirtation between them was something new… and he liked it.

"I am. Let me know when you have a time and place," she said with a smile before focusing back on her assignment.

The laughter grew louder suddenly and Adam turned, looking directly at a highly amused Scorpina. She curled a finger at him, winking before she disappeared. Adam's heart was beating loudly in his chest, and he closed his eyes, concentrating on calming down.

'_Get a grip, Park,'_ he told himself.

Tanya rolled her eyes suddenly, groaning in aggravation. Adam raised an eyebrow in question, happy for the distraction.

"Sorry, it's just this physics assignment. Normally I can finish it quickly, but I'm just not grasping physical optics. Diffraction and interference I understand with no problem; it's polarization that's giving me the most trouble."

Adam knew it was completely inappropriate, but all he could think at that moment was how incredibly sexy Tanya sounded when using those words.

'_I'm such a nerd.'_

"Hmm, maybe I can get help from Mr. Murray after school," she said aloud.

"Actually," Adam said, "I can help you with that. I took physics last semester with Murray, and I'm actually really good with optics. I can't help right now because I have to finish up this English assignment, but tonight or tomorrow night for sure."

"Really? Adam, that would be awesome! Thank you so much," she said excitedly, pressing a kiss at the corner of his mouth.

The mood between them shifted with that one gesture and Adam couldn't help but notice.

Tanya ran a hand along her arm nervously. "Sorry," she mumbled.

He said nothing, choosing instead to lean forward and kiss her softly on the lips. He pulled back slowly, their eyes connected as their lips remained near each others.

"And here I thought you were going to pretend like nothing ever happened between us," she mused softly.

He had to admit that was his original plan. Even though he jumped that one huge hurdle with Tanya, Adam was ultimately in unfamiliar territory. His natural instinct was to run as far and as fast as he possibly could. He wasn't bold like Tommy or experienced like Rocky or brilliant like Billy.

He was simply Adam.

Any other day, he would have laughed off Tanya's kiss on the cheek and gone mute for the rest of their time together.

But not that day.

At the moment, he felt a confidence he never felt before. He couldn't quite put it into words, but there was something about nearly dying that did something to a man. Adam recalled the pain of Scorpina's blades in his arm, her black nails digging into his wounded side, the searing pain as her tail burned the flesh from his back…

And suddenly, being with Tanya felt like a walk in the park.

"Not a chance," he whispered, kissing her again firmly.

Tanya's dropped her pencil on the table, her hand making its way to the side of Adam's face as she moved closer to him. The black ranger's hands were not idle either, as he used his right to gently cup her neck and the left held her arm.

"You two!"

The teens jumped apart at the forceful whisper to meet the angry gaze of the school librarian, Mrs. Little. The woman's glasses were low on the bridge of her nose, and she looked at them with a disapproving glance.

"This is a library, not a club." She pointed at them with a wrinkled finger. "None of that in here, understood?"

The two nodded vigorously, and the old woman shook her head, leaving the two alone once again.

Adam and Tanya immediately grabbed their pencils, concentrating intently on their assignments. Adam could hear light chuckling beside him, and he smiled when he saw Tanya giggling over what had just occurred. Try as he might not to, Adam found himself laughing as well, and the pair were nearly doubled over in the back of the library in hysterics over the ridiculousness of the situation.

A loud clearing of the throat made them look up. Mrs. Little's piercing blue gaze was turned on them.

Straightening up, they went back to their work, though neither could hide the small smirks on their faces.

Adam's smirk quickly disappeared, however, when he heard Scorpina's laughter again.

* * *

**Oliver Residence**

**Living Room**

**5:22 PM**

Tommy closed the front door to his house, heading straight for the kitchen.

"Hey, mom," he said, pressing a wet kiss on her cheek. Sandra Oliver made a face, wiping at her cheek roughly.

"Cute, Tommy."

He grinned. "What is that?" he asked, looking over her shoulder into the large pot. "Smells delicious."

She shook her head laughing. "No, no, move." She pushed him back, ignoring the pout on his face. "You're just as bad as your father. I'm making pot roast, macaroni and cheese, and green beans."

Tommy opened the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water. "I ever tell you that you're my favorite mom?"

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks. I'm sure the competition was stiff," she said sarcastically. "Kim will be joining us for dinner. She's downstairs in the basement."

Tommy nodded. "Aisha dropped her off?"

"Yeah, and she has quite a few bags with her. Adam brought them in for her," laughed Sandra. "Those girls love to shop."

Tommy snorted. "Tell me about it. Adam got stuck with bag duty today. Sucks for him," he said in a tone that indicated he was highly amused.

Sandra smiled. "He's such a sweet boy."

"Yeah… and a real sucker for letting Kim pull a fast one on him."

She swatted him playfully on the arm. "Shush. Now," she pointed towards the basement, "go check on Kim. I haven't heard from her since she went down there. Be a good boyfriend."

He rolled his eyes as he walked out of the kitchen. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

Tommy opened the door of the basement, shutting it softly behind him.

"Kim?"

Hearing no response, he made his way down the stairs. "Kimberly?" he tried again.

Tommy reached the bottom step, tossing his backpack onto the floor.

"Where the hell are you, beautiful?"

His brown eyes scanned the room; he saw no sign of Kimberly, though her bags were off to the side. _'Is there anything left at the mall?'_ he thought to himself in amusement.

A movement on the couch caught his attention, and he finally noticed the small lump underneath his Bruce Lee blanket.

A mischievous smile spread across his face, and he slowly tiptoed over to the couch, lowering himself to his knees. Slowly, Tommy pulled back the blanket to see the sleeping face of Kimberly.

"Tommy," she whispered softly, and he felt a smirk creep across his face.

"Ha, and you love to say you don't dream about me," he said smugly.

She turned suddenly, brows furrowed in agitation. "No…" she moaned.

Tommy raised an eyebrow. _'No what?'_ he thought curiously.

"Kim?" He ran a finger along her forehead, and he could feel the heat radiating from her body.

Her legs began to kick underneath the blanket, her movements suddenly frantic.

Tommy grabbed onto her shoulders, shaking her gently. "Kim, wake up."

"No," she groaned, fighting against his hands. Her head was moving from side to side.

"Kim… beautiful, you need to wake up," he said stronger.

"You can't… no… Tommy… Goldar-" Tommy's eyes widened.

He pulled the blanket off of her, and she began to fight harder. _'Shit, she's having a nightmare.'_

"Behind… no… NO!" she shouted. "Tommy!"

Tommy shook her shoulders hard, desperate to wake her up. "Kim, snap out of it!"

Her eyes popped open and she lurched forward, nearly slamming into him. Her chest heaved as she looked around frantically, and her eyes finally connected with his.

"Kim?" he asked shakily.

She looked at him strangely, slowly reaching out a hand to touch his face.

"I'm real," he said fiercely, covering her hand in his own. "I'm _here_."

Kim let out a shuddering breath before wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

Tommy pulled her to him, her body sliding from the couch to sit astride his on the floor. He felt the wetness of her tears on his neck, and his heart broke. "It's okay," he whispered in her ear, rubbing her back as her body shook in his arms.

She pulled back, kissing him softly on the lips as she cupped his face in her hands. Tommy held the kiss until the need for air arose, and they rested their foreheads together.

He could see the fear in her eyes receding, replaced with anxiety.

"Tell me about it," he said softly, and he could feel her tense in his arms. "Tell me about the nightmare."

Kim pulled away from him, sliding off his lap to curl into herself. He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back to sit between his legs, her back to his chest. Tommy wrapped his arms around her, chin resting on her shoulder.

"Talk to me," he pleaded. "I want to help you."

He heard her sigh tiredly. "You can't help me, Tommy. Nothing can." Her voice was devoid of emotion. "I've seen you die a thousand times in my head, Tommy. Over and over again," she whispered.

"Each time, I try to warn you… try to rescue you and I can't." Her voice hitched. "There's always something between us, a wall or a barrier or something, and I can't get to you."

She sniffed, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. "I just sit there and watch as you die. Goldar's behind you… laughing. And you're on your knees… your blood is everywhere."

Tommy kissed her on her temple, unable to do anything but listen. His heart ached at the raw pain in her voice.

"I scream for you to get up. To fight. But you don't. You just look at me, like you've given up. And he just…" She shuddered slightly.

"I'm here now," he told her, pulling her closer to him. "I'm alive and I'm with you."

"You died once before, Tommy." She crawled away from him, looking him in the face. "I watched you stop breathing. I kissed you when you took your last breath."

She held her hands out in front of her, looking at them with unfocused eyes; Tommy watched them shake. "Your blood was everywhere." She began to cry. "It was all… all over my hands and…"

He grabbed her hands in his, linking their fingers together. "I'm so sorry."

"You left me," she said angrily, snatching her hands away. "I asked you not to leave…"

"I know," he said sadly, reaching out to grab her only for his hands to be slapped away.

"I told you I needed you," she said heatedly. He moved closer to her and she grew agitated, slapping her hands against his chest.

"_Don't touch me!_" she shouted, vision blurry as she fought against him.

Tommy felt tears sting his eyes as she struggled, and he wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her firmly against him. She twisted against him, desperately trying to break his hold.

"I'm sorry," he whispered repeatedly, and she broke down against him, her body sagging against his as she cried into his shirt.

"I didn't want to leave you," he confessed in her ear. "When I was lying there on the floor, the only thing going through my mind was you. Not the rest of the world, not my family, just you. I didn't care about the pain or losing my life, Kim… I just didn't want to leave you."

Her cries quieted at his words, although he could feel the small tremors in her body. Kim's eyes were red as the tears fell, and Tommy gently rocked her as they sat on the floor of his basement.

The door to the basement opened then, and Frank Oliver's head peeked through.

"Kids?"

Tommy cleared his throat, blinking against the tears that threatened to fall.

"Yeah, dad?" His words came out like a croak.

"Food's almost ready. Hope you guys have an appetite; Sandy really outdid herself," said Frank happily.

"We'll be up in a minute," Tommy responded in what he hoped was a cheerful voice.

Frank Oliver's eyes narrowed as he tried to see down the stairs.

"Is everything okay down there?" he asked, voice laced with concern.

Tommy let out a deep breath, pressing a kiss to the top of Kim's head. His shirt was fisted in her small hands and slightly wet.

"We're good, dad." He heard the door close. "Everything's gonna be fine, beautiful."

The slight nod of Kim's head against his chest was all Tommy needed.

* * *

**Weapons Room**

**Command Center**

**8:11 PM**

"How does this look?" asked Kim.

Tommy shrugged. "Looks good."

She scowled, smacking him on the arm. "You've said that about the last six drawings."

He shot her an irritated look. "Then _maybe_ that's a sign to stop asking me."

A loud smack followed by a groan reached Billy's ears, and he couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips. The blue ranger was currently holding a gun barrel in his hand that was wired to a computer chip.

"Look, why don't you ask 'Sha? She's the only other person that either knows or cares about what you're talking about."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Leave."

Rocky whistled lowly as Tommy walked past him. "Somebody's in the doghouse…" he sang, grunting when Tommy punched him hard in the arm.

Kim glared at her boyfriend. "Don't hit Rocky."

"Yeah, don't hit Rocky," repeated the red ranger, who rubbed his sore arm.

Tommy ignored them, walking over to stand behind Adam. His emotions were still high from Kim's breakdown in his basement, putting him in a somber mood. Although she seemed fine on the surface, Tommy had seen firsthand the pain his death brought to her; he knew - regardless of the fact that he was alive now - she would never truly recover.

"How's it going?" he asked the black ranger.

Adam looked up from his sketchpad, black baseball cap turned backwards.

"I got a few down… need one more in order to finish it off."

Tommy nodded. "What you got so far?"

Adam sighed. "Axe, daggers, lance, sword, bow and arrow… all with an update of modern technology." He bit the end of his pencil in thought. "But now I'm out of medieval weaponry."

Tommy studied the drawings. "These are really good, Adam."

The black ranger smiled. "Thanks. Can you think of any other weapons? I need one for the sixth."

Tommy pondered this. "What about a flail?"

Scorpina suddenly appeared over Tommy's shoulder, looking at the weapons the black ranger drew with interest. Adam jumped in fright, and Tommy shot him a curious look.

"Sorry, I just… a what?" asked Adam.

Tommy grabbed the pencil and pad, making a rough sketch of the weapon.

"Wow. That would be amazing, except…" He sighed. "I want to have them combine, to make one large weapon." Adam turned the page to show the picture.

Scorpina moved between them, black fingernail running over the picture slowly. Adam froze up, terrified when he could feel her body heat with her so near. She raised a hand, lightly caressing the scar on his arm. She cackled when his muscles tensed.

"Oh, wow," said Tommy, eyes shocked to see the combined weapon. "Yeah, I don't think this is a good one then."

The white ranger noticed Adam shiver. "Cold?"

"Yeah, just got a chill." Adam shrugged. "And you're right, the flail wouldn't merge with the combined weapon, but it fits the theme I'm going for… we'll see. Still have some time before we head out to the warehouse."

Loud squealing from the other side of the room caught their attention, and the guys ran up behind the pink and yellow rangers. Adam looked back to see Scorpina was gone, and he let out a sigh of relief.

"This is it," whispered Kim, running a finger along the sketch. "This is the one."

On the sketchpad was a costume, sleek and formfitting. Around the waist was a belt with two triangles on the buckle pointing at each other. The chest of the uniform bore a large 'N' that was slightly curved on its side, emblazoned on a black background. The helmet had a black visor that curved slightly like a bird, and the mouth was a solid gray, covering nearly half the face. The top of the helmet bore the same large 'N' as the chest, and the shoulders, gloves, and boots were white.

It bore a striking resemblance to Ninjor.

Tommy grabbed the pad with shaky hands, index fingers resting lightly over the insignia.

"How soon can you make it?"


	23. Chapter 22

_**Author's Note: **Please read and review. Feedback is appreciated. Hope y'all like it! :)_

* * *

**Angel Grove High School**

**Parking Lot**

**One week later**

**Wednesday, 3:37 PM**

"Come on, Rocky, please?" pleaded Aisha.

The red ranger shook his head. "You must be joking. I'm not taking you to the mall." He pointed at Kim. "Not if the shopaholic is with you."

Kim rolled her eyes. "There you go again, exaggerating."

Both Aisha and Rocky threw her a look.

"Kim, I love you girl, but my man's not exaggerating. You go to the mall like a crack addict to their supplier."

"Whatever," the pink ranger said.

The three were in the parking lot behind AGHS headed to Rocky's jeep. He drove Aisha to school that morning, and since Kim was spending the night at the yellow ranger's house, she was riding back with them.

As they neared Rocky's vehicle, they looked at each other in confusion. Sitting on top of Rocky's jeep was a boy with an acoustic guitar. His hair was a mixture of blond and dark brown stripes, and a gold earring hung from his left ear. He wore a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and black boots. One leg was tucked underneath him while the other rested against the left front tire of Rocky's jeep. He had a black baseball cap on his head flipped backwards, and his back was to them.

"Hey, emo kid," said Rocky loudly. "Off the jeep. Now."

Kim couldn't hide her snort at Rocky's words, and Aisha threw Kim a scolding glance in response. The pink ranger merely shrugged.

The boy glanced behind him, brown eyes widening in surprise before he jumped down quickly, guitar in hand. Kim studied him closely. He was actually very attractive in that brooding, lonesome sort of way.

"Sorry, man," said the kid with a nervous laugh. "I'm Andrew, but I go by Andros, my stage name when I perform." He held out his hand.

Rocky stared at the hand before looking him in the eyes. "Don't care. Don't sit on my jeep again."

The red ranger brushed past him, using his key to open his front door. Andrew awkwardly retracted his hand.

Aisha smiled at the younger boy. "Hi, Andros. I'm Aisha. This is Kim," she pointed behind her to the pink ranger, "and the asshole in the jeep is my boyfriend, Rocky."

Rocky raised his hand to his head in mock salute. "Howdy."

"I'm sorry about him. We usually keep him on a leash," she said.

Andros smiled, slightly blushing from the attention he was receiving from the pretty girl. Kim snickered as she made her way to the jeep, climbing into the backseat.

"No, it's okay. I shouldn't have been sitting on his jeep."

"Damn straight," muttered Rocky before he revved the engine. "Come on, 'Sha. We gotta go. Daycare ends in about ten minutes."

The yellow ranger rolled her eyes. "It was nice meeting you, Andros. See you around?"

He nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Aisha made her way around the front of the jeep, stopping when she came across an object on the ground.

"This yours?" she asked, holding up a slightly tattered black backpack. The young boy quickly grabbed the bag from her.

"Yeah, it's mine." He smiled shyly. "Wouldn't want to leave this around; all my music and lyrics are in here."

The two jumped when the horn from Rocky's jeep went off. Aisha glared at her boyfriend who simply pointed at his wrist, indicating they needed to leave.

"Sorry, I have to go. Bye." She waved at him before climbing into the jeep, smacking Rocky hard on the arm.

"That was incredibly rude of you," she hissed.

He shrugged as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Any other day, I would give a damn, but I need to pick up Adriana before they charge my mom extra. And anyway, the kid was on my jeep, 'Sha."

"He didn't know it was yours," she argued.

Rocky threw her an incredulous look. "He knew it wasn't _his_."

Aisha turned to the conveniently silent pink ranger in the backseat. "Kim, help me out here."

Kimberly shook her head, wide smile on her face. "Oh no, I'd rather not involve myself in domestic disputes."

She giggled at Aisha's response of a raised middle finger.

Rocky turned up the radio, letting the sounds of 'Give It Away' by Red Hot Chili Peppers fill the jeep.

Rocky drove incredibly fast, and Kim was positive he ran a few stop signs. They made it to Adriana's daycare center in record time.

They had barely pulled into the parking lot before Rocky jumped out of the jeep, running straight for the doors of the center. Kim shook her head, reaching behind her to pull out the car seat

"You would think Rocky would have set this up before," said Kim in annoyance.

Aisha snorted. "Rocky? Do something in advance? Surely you jest."

"Why are these things so goddamn difficult to set up?" asked Kim.

"You won't be thinking that when you have to set them up for your own kids," mumbled the yellow ranger.

"My own kids?" Kim paused. "I never really gave that much thought."

Aisha raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really?"

Kim shrugged. "Never really had time to think about it with the whole ranger thing going on. I guess I do want kids," she said after some thought. "Maybe I should think about it now that it's a real possibility."

Silence filled the jeep for some time.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" asked Aisha finally.

Kim leaned forward, head resting near her friend's. "What do you mean?"

Aisha licked her lips. "This whole thing we're doing with the zords and the weapons… it doesn't feel right. We're just passing the buck to someone else."

"Well, it's someone else's problem now," said Kim.

"But is that _right_, Kim?" asked Aisha.

"It wasn't _right_ for Zordon to choose us!" hissed Kimberly. "It wasn't _right_ for six normal kids with normal lives to be forced into a war they didn't understand."

The pink ranger sighed. "I get what you're saying Aisha, I honestly do. And I can admit that I don't feel 100-percent sure that what we're doing is right. Do I think it's a copout on our part? Yes. But I also feel like we never should have been picked in the first place.

"We did what Zordon wanted, our mission is complete. We didn't sign up for this extra stuff, Aisha. The next group will have everything put out there for them, _everything_… they'll be able to make an informed choice we never got the chance to."

Aisha turned to her friend, eyes blazing. "Cut the bullshit, Kim. You know just as well as I do, once they hear what's at stake? There's really no choice at all. So quit trying to convince yourself that it's any different than what happened to us."

Aisha turned back, eyes looking out the front of the jeep.

"We're no better than Zordon, Kim, and you _know_ that. The same exact thing is happening to another group of people, adults or not. Someone else is still going to pay for Zordon's mistake, for his war. Only this time we're Zordon… and they're us."

Kim sat back, realizing the truth in Aisha's words. "Am I such a bad person for wanting to get out of this?" she asked sadly. "For not wanting to be in a constant state of red alert or being afraid the next time we have a battle if we'll all make it home? I know it's wrong, Aisha… but I'm tired of this. We've been putting the rest of the world first for the last two years. When does what _we_ want and what _we_ need become a priority?"

The yellow ranger ran a hand over her face tiredly.

"You're not a bad person, Kim. None of us are. We're just human." She sighed. "We all have limitations, and I think ours have been reached. You want to put the responsibility on someone else; I'm just as guilty because I'm not trying to stop it. I'm helping even though I hate it because I'm too scared to find out what I'll turn into if I stay a ranger."

Aisha grabbed her friend's hand in her own.

"Our time as rangers is over; someone else needs to take our place. I'm just afraid that in giving this responsibility to another, we're willingly ignoring the pain and suffering we're transferring as well. "

She paused when she saw Rocky approaching the jeep, Adriana perched on his shoulders.

"And I pray we can live with that decision."

The door opened suddenly, and Kim smiled brightly as Adriana crawled into the jeep. "Hi, Adriana," she said.

The little girl crawled over to the pink ranger, hugging her closely. "Hi, Kim."

The child released Kim, turning to Aisha. "Hi, Aisha."

Rocky placed his sister in the car seat, locking it around her small frame.

"Hi, Adriana. You look very pretty."

The child blushed. "Thank you. You look pretty, too."

Aisha smiled. "Thank you. How was school today?"

Kim watched Adriana and Aisha interact with each other, laughing at the appropriate times and responding when addressed. But her mind wasn't focused on the conversation.

She was replaying Aisha's last words in her head.

* * *

**Angel Grove High School**

**Locker Room**

**4:19 PM**

"Oliver!"

Tommy turned around, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he pulled back from the water fountain. A football was tucked underneath his arm.

"Yeah, coach?"

"I want you out on the field in fifteen minutes. Need you to work with Johnson on his passes for the rest of the semester. He's a little shaky on the release, and I need that fixed since you're leaving," said Coach Madison.

"Sure thing, coach," said Tommy.

Once Madison's back was fully turned, the white ranger rolled his eyes. He didn't feel like working with the rookie quarterback that day… or any day, for that matter.

Tommy stretched his tired muscles, brown eyes finding the back of Johnson's jersey across the room. He lazily rubbed his stomach through his black HexPad shell shirt as he walked over.

"Rookie," he grunted out. The boy didn't turn.

"Rookie," he said again, and the younger teen turned to him with a sour look.

"I have a name, you know. It's Theodore… Theodore Johnson. Hell, you can even call me T.J.," snapped the African American boy irritably.

"I know your name," said Tommy with a smile before it quickly disappeared. "But I don't really give a shit. _Here_, it's Rookie, and right now, I need you out on the field practicing your passes. Coach says you need work, and I got stuck with the job. So be a good boy and do what I tell you. You got that, _Rookie_?"

The younger boy's jaw clenched tightly as he nodded.

Tommy smiled. "Good." He slammed the football into the junior's chest. "I'll be out there in fifteen."

The younger teen stared at the ball for several seconds before grabbing it from Tommy, heading quickly out of the locker room before he said something he regretted.

Tommy sat down on the bench next to his locker, a pleased look on his face. Billy stood a few feet away shirtless, shaking his head at his friend.

"You know, Tommy, you would probably find it beneficial to be a little less… impertinent."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Is that your way of telling me to stop being a jackass?"

Billy shrugged. "If that's how you wish to interpret my previous statement." The blue ranger sat beside the long-haired teen on the bench.

"Now what does that say about you if you're my best friend?" inquired Tommy.

Billy fixed him with an impassive look. "That I need new friends."

Tommy laughed outright at Billy's words, and the blue ranger couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.

"I was only teasing Johnson. He's been on the team for two years… he knows how it is. Nothing personal, just getting my shots in before we graduate," said Tommy.

"I suppose your reasoning has merit," said Billy. He remembered well the days when he first made the football team. The upperclassmen made it hell for the new kicker.

"What are you up to after practice?" asked the older boy.

Billy sighed. "I am needed at Trini's. We have to work out the details of our English assignment today since it is worth 35-percent of our grade. After that I'll be working on our personal…" He paused when a teammate walked by. "…project. You?"

Tommy ran a hand over the green and white bandana tied around his hair. "Spending time with Kim."

The blue ranger nodded slowly. "How has she been?"

Tommy sighed. "I don't know, man. Sometimes it's like it was before and other times… it's like she thinks I'm going to vanish."

"She did suffer quite a traumatic experience," said Billy. "I have known Kimberly since we were in kindergarten. I have never seen her react so strongly."

The white ranger sighed. "She's been having nightmares about it." He looked at his friend sadly. "I don't know how to fix it."

"Maybe the problem isn't fixing it," offered Billy.

Tommy looked at him in confusion.

"Tommy, you left her at a time when she needed you the most. And it wasn't a matter of walking out of the door or hanging up the phone. You were _gone_," stressed the blue-eyed teen.

"I would imagine she feels extremely conflicted. She's happy because you are in fact here and with her, but at the same time she feels hesitant to accept that joy. You left her once before… what is to stop you from leaving again?"

Tommy looked at his friend, eyes searching him curiously.

Billy's eyes connected with his friend's briefly before he continued.

"I believe she also feels scared. We've all had a moment where we realized we could have died but we have always managed to avoid that fate. Watching it happen to you, to someone who means so much to her, most likely brought her own mortality into focus. She saw you as a force that could not be overcome, someone who would always be there. When you were taken from her, that faith was broken… permanently."

Tommy's eyes were filled with sadness as he watched his friend. Billy refused to look at the white ranger, choosing instead to keep his eyes fixed on the locker across from him.

"And uh… what else do you think _Kim_ is feeling?" asked Tommy softly.

Billy's eyes closed, head dipping low. "Anger. She feels incredible anger towards you for abandoning her. You weren't supposed to leave. It's not something she wants to feel, but she can't fight it."

Tommy swallowed thickly, Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"If you're right," he began, "about how… Kim feels, then I guess the only thing I can do is reassure her that I'm always going to be there for her. Even though she's angry at me, Kim needs to understand that she is someone that means a great deal to me, and that as long I'm able, I won't be leaving again."

The blue ranger finally looked his friend in the eyes. "I think those are exactly the words she needs to hear."

Tommy took a deep breath as he stood to his feet. "I need to go. Rookie's waiting on me."

"Of course," said Billy, standing as well. He turned to his locker, rummaging inside for his shoulder pads. "I need to get to work with the special teams."

Tommy studied his friend for several seconds before tapping him on the arm. Billy turned, glancing down at Tommy's outstretched hand. The blue ranger grasped it tightly and felt Tommy pull him forward into the traditional man hug.

"I'm sorry," Tommy said as he pulled back. Billy nodded quickly, not wanting to seem overly emotional.

The blue ranger watched his best friend head out of the locker room towards the field, and for the first time since the invasion of the Lunar Palace, Billy Cranston's smile reached his eyes.

* * *

**Abandoned Warehouse**

**San Francisco, CA**

**Saturday, 11:01 AM**

Large sparks flew in the air as Billy welded together large pieces of metal, his helmet protecting his eyes. Seeing the job was done, Billy lifted his helmet, inspecting his work.

"Nice job," said Adam. The black ranger stood in a gray undershirt and worn jeans, sweat dripping down his body.

The teens were in an abandoned warehouse down in San Francisco, on the outskirts of town. They needed to be away from the Command Center and Angel Grove to get their work done.

"Thanks. How's the engine going?"

A loud bang followed by a stream of curse words rang loudly in the warehouse. Rocky lifted his head from under the hood, rubbing the sore spot.

"Just installed the last tank of nitrous oxide." He pulled out the worn cloth in his back pocket, wiping the oil off.

"Excellent. What's the status on the others?"

"Everything's ready to go. Just need two more wheels."

A pink and yellow light appeared inside the warehouse, fading to show Kimberly and Aisha with steering wheels in hand.

Aisha walked up to Rocky, shoving the wheels into his chest.

"I hope you realize this is stealing," she muttered.

"It's for a good cause," he reasoned, slightly put off when she ignored him.

Kim dropped three large bags of food onto a nearby bench. "I come bearing gifts."

Adam and Rocky raced to the Wendy's bags, nearly knocking Kimberly over in their haste. The pink ranger shook her head, making her way over to the jean clad legs sticking out a few feet away. She nudged the person with her foot, and Tommy rolled out to greet her.

"Food's here," she said.

"Yes," he growled, climbing to his feet. "I'm starving." Dropping a quick kiss to her lips, he hurried over to the other guys.

Aisha watched in disgust as the boys shoveled food into their mouths. "I'm so glad we ate beforehand," she mumbled. Kim couldn't agree more.

Billy wiped his mouth with a napkin. "You two can begin painting yours now if you want. The spray paint's over on the shelf."

The girls grinned at each other before racing over, grabbing several bottles quickly before heading back. Kim shook the bottle quickly before making a test spot, grinning at the pink spot on the metal.

Aisha was steadily making her own yellow streaks on the outside of her metal contraption, stepping back every few minutes to admire her work.

"So," said Rocky as he swallowed another bite of his burger. "We put the last two steering wheels on, paint… and then…?" His voice had a hopeful tone.

Billy rolled his eyes. "Yes, Rocky, we can test drive them."

The red ranger's eyes glowed with happiness, and Tommy snickered. The white ranger quickly gulped down his soda before taking another bite, heading back to his previous task.

"No time to waste," he said before sliding back under the machine. He only had a few more wires to connect before he would be done. Tommy's tongue stuck out the side of his mouth as he hooked up the last few wires.

Rolling out from underneath, Tommy jumped up, climbed inside and turned on the engine. He let out an excited yell when the engine hummed to life, the panels blinking as he tested out the different buttons. Seeing that everything worked, Tommy turned the machine back off and climbed out. Walking quickly to the shelf, he grabbed the cans of paint with white tops, carrying them back with him. Shaking the first can, he sprayed a thick, long streak on the metal before growling in irritation.

"God _dammit_, Rocky!"

The red ranger looked up at his friend, fries halfway in his mouth. Swallowing quickly, he ran over to the team leader.

"What?"

Tommy pointed at the paint streak. "What color is that?"

Rocky squinted in confusion. "Silver."

"What color did I tell you to get?" he hissed. The red ranger flushed in embarrassment.

"But it had the white cap…" he said weakly.

"Yeah," said Tommy, pushing the can into Rocky's view. "But it _reads _silver."

Rocky scratched the back of his neck. "I can go get white…"

The white ranger rolled his eyes. "You already bought so many cans… I guess silver it is."

The blue ranger watched the exchange in amusement as he screwed on the door to Adam's machine. Adam pushed the headlights into the front, wiping them with a rag so that they shined.

"Beautiful." He jumped slightly when he saw Scorpina's reflection in the glass, looking behind him quickly only to see she wasn't there.

"Adam."

He turned, catching the can of paint Kim threw his way.

"Thought you'd go with black," she commented.

He shook the can roughly before removing the green cap, forcing himself to ignore the feeling of Scorpina's tail wrapping around his waist.

'_You're not real,'_ he reminded himself. _'What the hell is wrong with me?'_

Adam forced a smile as he looked at Kim. "You know green is my favorite color and besides… it's time for a change."

* * *

**Campbell Residence**

**Aisha's Room**

**7:10 PM**

"1914?"

Aisha rolled her eyes. "Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Well, is it right?" asked Rocky.

"Yes, but you need to have more confidence in your answers." Aisha's eyes quickly scanned the page. "Okay, why did the war start?"

The two were studying for their upcoming final for U.S. History at Aisha's house.

Rocky shoved the Twinkie into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"Um… well, I know the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered it, but there were other factors. There were territorial disputes, military and economic rivalry, diplomatic miscommunication, nationalism… oh, and the alliance system. That fucked everything up and got everyone involved."

Aisha smiled. "Good job. See, you're going to ace this exam Rocky."

He sighed. "I hope so." The red ranger looked inside the empty box of Twinkies. "Got any more food?"

She pointed behind him. "There's some Goldfish over there."

Rocky grabbed the small white bag from the shelf, smiling happily as he began to eat the snack. "Pizza flavor? Sweet."

"All right, next question," she started.

"'Sha, can we take a break? This is starting to give me a headache."

She laughed at his anxious expression. "Sure. We've been going two hours straight; I guess a break is in order."

Aisha felt Rocky crawl onto the bed beside her as she continued to read over her notes. She was surprised to see he wasn't going out of his way to bother her like he normally did when she studied. She looked over to see him staring up at the ceiling with a glassy expression.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

His eyes caught hers, and he gave her a roguish smile. "My thoughts are worth at _least_ twenty bucks, 'Sha."

She rolled her eyes, setting her notebook down so that she could focus on him.

"Of course they are," she said with sarcasm. "So you gonna tell me or what?"

He sighed. "Just thinking about the new powers we're making."

"Ah," she said. "What about them?"

He locked his fingers together over his stomach. "You know I was against making these powers from the start."

"Yeah, I know," said the yellow ranger. She remembered all too well the meeting they had when Billy proposed making new rangers.

"_You want to do what?" Rocky asked._

"_Create new powers," repeated Billy. "For another team of power rangers."_

"_Is that even possible?" asked Kimberly._

"_I'm almost certain it is," said the blue ranger. "Zordon made our powers. I see no reason for us to have difficulty in making our own."_

"_And these powers would be given to someone else?" asked Tommy._

"_Yes. We will be 'passing the torch' so to speak, transferring the responsibility of the power rangers onto another capable team."_

"_That sounds like a cop-out," said Rocky heatedly._

_Aisha ran a hand along his arm. "Baby, calm down."_

_He shook his head, gently pushing her back. "I will _not_ calm down. This is bullshit."_

_He walked over to Billy, angrily pointing at him. "Just because you're sick of what we do doesn't give you the right to abandon it. It's our job, Billy!"_

"_We wouldn't be abandoning anything, Rocky," said the blue ranger irritably. "How does simply finding replacements constitute abandonment? The job will be fulfilled by someone, just not us."_

"_We're still running away from our responsibility!" shouted Rocky. "It's not right to put that on someone else."_

"_They'll be given a choice. We're not going to just run off and leave, forcing someone else to take our place. We would only pass over the task of being power rangers when a group willingly accepts the role."_

_Rocky shook his head, sitting down angrily. "Fuck this."_

_The blue ranger sighed, realizing it was pointless to continue arguing with Rocky. "Any other thoughts?"_

_Kim bit her lip. The prospect of no longer being a ranger was highly appealing, especially given that her trust and respect for Zordon was now almost nonexistent._

"_How strong would this team be?" asked Adam. He wasn't exactly on board with the idea, but he was definitely intrigued._

"_I'm not exactly sure. They would undoubtedly be powerful as their power would stem from the Imanyd, but I do not know if they will be as strong as us. Though, I'm not sure they need to be now that all the shards are back together. They would be the only ones using the Imanyd's energy."_

_Aisha considered this. "I don't know. I'm kind of with Rocky on this one. I'm not entirely comfortable putting this off on someone else."_

"_Adam?" asked Billy._

_The black ranger sighed, gripping his cane tightly. "This is a big decision, a really big decision that changes everything for us… I-I can't make it right now. I'm undecided."_

_Kim crossed her arms. "Well, I'm all for it. Zordon's lied to us too many times… I want out."_

_Rocky looked at her with a wild expression. "You're siding with Billy? What the hell is wrong with you?"_

_Kim turned to face him. "This war has already cost us too much, Rocky." She glanced in Tommy's direction." We can't keep sacrificing for everyone else. Something has to give."_

"_And you're okay with being that selfish?"_

_She looked as if he had slapped her._

"_To let the rest of the world suffer because you're tired of giving? They need us, Kim."_

_Billy's eyes flashed with anger and he moved to stand beside Kimberly. "Then what would you suggest, Rocky?" asked the blue ranger loudly. "That we continue destroying ourselves to make sure everyone else has a comfortable life? Everything is fine as long as we're the only ones that bear the pain?"_

_Billy pointed at his best friend. "We already lost Tommy in this war. How many more of us do you consider expendable before enough is enough?"_

"_SHUT UP!" Kimberly screamed suddenly, startling everyone in the room._

_The color drained from Billy's face, and he attempted to grab Kim by her shoulders. _

_She slapped his hands away roughly. "Don't touch me," she hissed._

_Billy shot a panicked look at Tommy, who looked on helplessly._

_Kim strode up to Rocky, who backed up slightly at the sight of angry tears gathered in her eyes._

"_You think it's _selfish_ that I don't want to sacrifice anymore?" she asked lowly, jabbing him in the chest. The others watched with a mixture of anxiety and fear._

"_You don't know _shit_ about what I've lost, Rocky!" she yelled. "I lost my humanity because of this war! I lost my self-control because of those FUCKING shards!"_

_Her hands were shaking as she turned to look at Tommy. "I lost _him_," she said sadly, face wet with tears before she turned angrily back to Rocky._

"_Aisha didn't die on you!" she sobbed. "You didn't hold her while begging her to stay alive… you don't have to know what it felt like to have her blood on your hands and watch the life drain out of her."_

_The red ranger watched his friend with sad eyes, his anger now a memory as he listened to her share her pain. He reached out to her. "Kim…" he said weakly._

"_No!" She shoved him hard, Imanyd energy surging through her arms, and he flew backwards, hitting the wall with a dull thud. _

"_Rocky!" yelled Aisha in alarm, running to check on him._

_He shook his head, lifting a hand to indicate that he was okay._

_Kim blinked rapidly, eyes widening in shock as she realized what she had done. "Oh god," she moaned weakly, staring at her hands in fear._

_Tommy moved to her quickly, gathering her in his strong arms as she cried into his chest. He whispered comforting words into her ear, hands running up and down her back._

_Rocky stood shakily with Aisha's help, keeping his distance from the emotional pink ranger._

"_I think you need to leave," said Billy quietly, inclining his head towards Kimberly._

_The red ranger nodded numbly, not wanting to upset his friend any further. He disappeared in a flash of light, leaving everyone in the room silent._

_Kim watched him leave, pulling back from Tommy to look him in the eyes._

"_I didn't- I didn't mean to do that. He just... He doesn't know," she mumbled softly. _

_Tommy nodded, looking over Kim's head at Billy, and he noticed the blue ranger studying his girlfriend with a sad, faraway expression._

_Tommy felt all eyes on him and he knew it was his call. Billy and Kim were for it, Rocky and Aisha against, and the verdict was still out with Adam._

_The white ranger looked down at his distraught girlfriend before looking back at the rest of the group._

"_Let's see how this power thing goes. No guarantees," he said looking at Billy. "I want to see what these powers would be like before making that decision, but I do think it's worth looking into."_

_Tommy made a mental note to talk to his second-in-command later when he was in a better mood. "How soon can we start?"_

"I think… I think I'm okay with it now," he admitted.

"Really?" she asked. "That's a big jump."

Rocky sat up, holding himself up by his forearms. "I don't know; it's weird. I think going through the process on our own… us being the ones making everything; it's been helping give me some perspective.

"I mean who better than us, the current power rangers team, to make the new powers? Sure, Zordon is the all-powerful one, but we're the ones out there fighting. We know the risks the new team would have to take, the protection they'd need."

Aisha considered this. "You have a point. Who better than your predecessor to determine what you would need."

She paused before shaking her head. "I just can't see how you would change your mind simply because we're making the artillery for the new team. You knew we were doing that from the beginning and it didn't matter."

Aisha watched him closely. "Does this sudden change of heart have anything to do with Kim?"

The red ranger stilled, brown eyes meeting hers briefly before looking back down.

"When Kim… lost it," he began, unable to think of a more appropriate phrase, "it kind of hit me how skewed my perspective has been."

"What do you mean?" asked the yellow ranger.

"Don't get me wrong, I still stand by what I said. I still believe that we should be ready to sacrifice whatever is necessary to keep the world safe." He fidgeted, wearing an expression of discomfort.

"But how easy is it for me to say something like that?" he asked. "By some fortune, I've been blessed to lose so little. We've all lost our innocence by having to kill and see horrible things… but I haven't lost much more than that."

He sat up, running a hand through his hair. "I can't imagine what it's like to be Billy, having to kill time after time after seeing my brother murdered in cold blood when I was only seven. That has to kill him inside, 'Sha." He paused. "And then there's Adam; he almost died. Tommy _did _die… and Kim, she might as well be dying now…"

Rocky looked at Aisha. "The closest I came to that kind of pain was when Goldgoyle attacked you on Phaedos, and by the grace of God, you were okay." He grabbed her hand. "I only _thought_ you died, and that was nearly too much for me."

Rocky rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. "I'm a hypocrite, 'Sha. I know if I were in Kim's shoes, I'd be the same way."

Aisha remembered well the pain Kim was in when Tommy died. Unlike Rocky, she had been there for the whole experience, right beside her friend when she went into near hysterics after Tommy's heart stopped. She was there when Kim broke down in the medical bay, holding her emotional friend as she cried.

She could still hear the guttural scream of pure pain Adam gave when she pulled the blades out of his arm that Scorpina attacked him with. She could see his shredded arm in her mind's eye; remember the look of sheer terror when he realized he was unable to move his legs.

Aisha shuddered, pushing the memories to the back of her mind. Her eyes rested on Rocky's handsome face, and she could tell from the conflicting emotions, there was more. "That's not the only thing that's bothering you."

He glanced at her briefly, finger running along his necklace.

"I just… it doesn't bother you at all that we're basically running away from our duty? Leaving another group to step in and clean up our mess?" he asked finally.

"Of course it bothers me, Rocky. The entire time I'm sitting there in the Command Center working on those fucking weapons or helping Billy do diagnostics, I'm torn up by guilt. I don't want to put this off on anyone else."

"But…"

"But I'm not guilty enough to stop it," she admitted softly.

Rocky maintained eye contact with her for several seconds before sighing and looking away.

"Look, I don't… I can live without nearly dying on a weekly basis, and the monster attacks seriously cut into my social life," she joked. "And to be completely honest, these last few weeks of peace, of not having to lie to my family about where I'm going or why I have these unexplainable bruises? I forgot what that felt like." She smiled. "I didn't realize how much I missed it until I got it back. It's been just a taste… but I want more."

Her expression turned serious. "And honestly, I'm terrified."

"Of what?" he asked in confusion.

"You said it yourself, we've been lucky in that we haven't lost nearly as much as the others." Her hands rested on her thighs. "I don't wanna wait for our luck to run out, Rocky. I don't wanna turn into them," she whispered.

Rocky grabbed the cross hanging around his neck, playing with it idly. "I feel the same way, 'Sha. I guess I'm just still not entirely comfortable with the idea of giving up the responsibility. No matter how scared I am of what would happen to me if I stayed a ranger, I don't want to give someone a responsibility they didn't ask for."

"Is this because of your dad?" she asked after some time.

Rocky looked at her in confusion before realizing he was toying with his father's necklace.

"When my father left, I had to grow up pretty fast. It was never a choice for me – I was the oldest, and mom needed help, you know?" He gripped the cross tightly. "I hated my father for so long for leaving… not just because he's my dad and we needed our father, but also because I just couldn't… _can't_ understand how he could be such a coward."

Aisha grabbed his hand in hers, locking their fingers together while he continued.

"He was always telling me _tiene que ser un hombre_… _un caballero siempre cumple con su palabra_. How the fuck do you tell me something like that and then just up and leave?" asked Rocky angrily. "No note, no goodbyes… just gone! Like it's okay to leave your family and your responsibilities at the door." (You have to be a man; a man always keeps his word)

Aisha looked at the red ranger with a new understanding. "You don't want to do the same thing as Esteban."

Rocky shook his head vehemently. "I don't want to be _anything _like him."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Protecting the universe is our job, Aisha. And just because I'm sick of it doesn't make it okay to abandon it. I know what it's like to be the person on the other end."

"We're not abandoning anything," she tried to reason. "Yes, we don't want to do it anymore, but we're not leaving the next group with no help like Esteban did your family. When he left, he gave you no warning, no notice, nothing. We're doing everything in our power to make sure that this next team is successful and prepared in our absence."

"And what if there is no next team? What if no one chooses to fight?" he asked.

Aisha bit her lip. "I don't- I don't think that will be the case, but if that were to happen, then we would still fight."

"Aisha… the whole reason we're doing this is because we don't _want_ to fight anymore," he reminded.

Aisha smiled sadly. "We're tired, we're scarred, and we're angry, but none of us have it in us to just let everything be destroyed. We'll be there to fight… _all _of us."

Rocky turned away from her after a few seconds, closing his eyes as he tried to sleep.

He didn't believe her words anymore than she did.


	24. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note:** Here's the next chapter! Only two left :'(. Please read and review; all feedback is greatly appreciated._

* * *

**Park Residence**

**Front Porch**

**Friday, 4:21 PM**

"Kimberly!"

The pink ranger grinned at Jae Park's enthusiastic greeting.

"Hi, Mr. Park. Is Adam home? We're supposed to be studying for a test this afternoon."

Mr. Park rubbed his chin. "I don't know, let me ask my wife. Shannon!"

A Caucasian woman in her late twenties walked into the living room from the kitchen, apron tied around her waist.

"Do you know if Adam's home?" Jae asked.

"Yes," she said. "He got home a little over an hour ago and wanted to take a nap. He looked really tired. Would you like me to get him?"

Kim smiled politely at Adam's stepmother. "It's no problem. I can get Adam myself. Thanks."

The pink ranger hurried up the stairs, eager to get away. Shannon was actually quite a nice woman, but it still freaked her out that Adam's stepmom was only ten years older than her.

Kim stood outside Adam's room, his poster of Jimi Hendrix plastered on the door. Knocking softly, she called his name, only to receive no answer. Knocking harder, the door creaked open, and she poked her head inside.

"Adam?" she called softly.

Kim walked into the dark room, smiling when her gaze fell upon the bundled up form of Adam Park on his bed. His mouth was slightly open, hair in every direction as he slept shirtless on the bed, wearing only his purple and gold L.A. Lakers basketball shorts. He rolled over, back now facing her.

Kim put her backpack on the ground, sneaking over to his bed. She paused when she heard him mumbling in his sleep. He rolled over again, and she could see his eyes moving rapidly beneath his eyelids.

"Don't," he mumbled, hands clenching the sheets tightly.

She ran a hand along his face, eyes filling with worry when she realized he was sweating.

"Adam, wake up," she said, shaking his arm lightly.

Her hand brushed against his scar, and it only seemed to increase his agitation.

"Adam!" she yelled, shaking his shoulders roughly. "Come on, wake up. You're scaring me."

He twisted in the sheets, groaning in pain. "No…"

"ADAM!" she yelled as she slapped his chest, and his eyes snapped open.

The black ranger lurched forward, eyes darting around the room frantically as he gasped heavily, his body shivering slightly as the cool air caressed his skin.

Kim moved close to him, hands on his shoulders. "Adam… Adam, look at me."

The black ranger was looking past her, eyes filled with fear. Scorpina was smirking at him, playfully tossing her blades in the air.

Kim grabbed his face in her hands, forcing his eyes to meet hers. "Adam," she whispered fiercely, and she breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes focused on her, recognition creeping into his eyes.

"Kim?" His voice was hoarse.

She nodded, pulling him into a hug. Adam wrapped his arms around her tightly, his breaths evening out with time. She pulled back from him after several seconds.

"Are you okay? You were having a nightmare." She ran a hand through his hair with a worried gaze.

He looked at her confused. "I'm fine. I don't… I don't remember anything."

She frowned. "Nothing?"

He shook his head slowly. "I…" He looked at her curiously. "What are you doing here?"

She pointed over at her backpack. "We're supposed to study for our test. You asked me to come over after gymnastics… don't you remember?"

Adam looked lost. "No, but... I guess that makes sense." He climbed out of the bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked. Adam turned to her, freezing when he saw Scorpina sitting on the bed next to Kim.

He blinked hard, seeing only Kim on his green sheets when he looked again.

"Yeah… I just- I have a headache. I'm gonna go downstairs, get some water and an aspirin." He grabbed a shirt from his dresser. "You want anything?"

"No," she said observing him carefully. "I'm good."

"Okay." Adam shrugged on a Nirvana t-shirt before heading out the door.

Kim reached for her backpack, pulling out her math book as she waited for him. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was definitely wrong with Adam.

* * *

**Olive Garden**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**6:05 PM**

"I'm surprised you remembered our anniversary."

Billy grinned. "I remember everything about you, Trini."

Billy sat across from Trini in a button-down white shirt, slacks, and dark brown Penny Loafers. Trini was wearing a sleeveless yellow sundress and matching shoes.

"I'm so glad you took me here. I've actually been craving it for weeks."

Billy grinned. He knew Olive Garden was Trini's favorite restaurant and felt it was only appropriate to take her there for their two-year anniversary.

A blonde teenager in a white oxford, black tie, black slacks, and black shoes walked up to them. He wore a white apron around his waist and had a pen neatly tucked behind his ear. He smiled brightly as he walked up to the couple.

"Hello there. My name is Zhane and I will be your waiter for tonight. Can I get you something to drink to start off your evening and perhaps an appetizer?"

He placed a menu down in front of each of them.

"Raspberry lemonade," said Trini.

"I'll have a sweet tea," said Billy. "And for an appetizer, we would like the stuffed mushrooms, please."

The teen scribbled down their order on a notepad. "Iced tea, raspberry lemonade, and the stuffed mushrooms. I'll bring those right away and will also bring you some of our signature bread."

Trini smiled at the teen as he walked away, her gaze then turning to Billy who looked miles away.

She waved a hand in front of his face. "Billy?"

He blinked, refocusing on her. "Sorry, I was just… lost my in thoughts."

Mentally, the blue ranger was back at the Command Center running calculations in his head. He had been at the Command Center earlier that day, working out how much power the new team would have once everything was finalized.

They would be able to channel the Imanyd energy using their morphers, but they would not be nearly as powerful as he and the other Ninjetti warriors. When Zordon made their power coins, he created a bridge between them and the Imanyd shards, allowing them to call upon the Imanyd at will. It wasn't until Ninjor unlocked the full power of the Ninjetti on Eltar and bonded them with the Shard of Balance that they achieved greater power. From what Billy could understand, Ninjor was somehow able to find a way to directly infuse the Imanyd energy into their bodies, making it a part of their natural physiology. It was similar to having direct contact with a shard, without the inability to control one's impulses. Billy surmised it more than likely had something to do with the Shard of Balance being the power source.

By directly integrating the Imanyd into their core, it allowed the rangers to morph into animals, turn invisible, charge their weapons, and do many other things they were incapable of doing before; Zordon had no way of unlocking the Ninjetti's power because he did not possess the Shard of Balance or Ninjor's knowledge on how to correctly wield the energy. It would appear they were faced with the same predicament, as none of the rangers knew how to combine the Imanyd energy directly with the human body in a manner that would allow the person to be in control.

He just hoped that with the Imanyd back in its original form, the new power team would be strong enough to defeat Master Vile when he arrived.

"What's on your mind?" asked Trini.

"I'm just processing things. We've been together for two years now; we'll be graduating soon, heading to Cambridge in the fall." He paused. "It's almost over."

Zhane placed their drinks on the table on his way past them, and Trini gratefully accepted hers before turning to look at Billy.

"Are you sad about this?" she asked.

Billy laughed. "Sad? I'm positively ecstatic. I haven't felt such happiness in a long time," he admitted. "This part of my life is going to be over, and I get to make a new beginning far away from here." He grabbed her hand. "With you."

"Can I make a confession?" she asked suddenly. He nodded.

"I'm terrified to go to Harvard," she admitted. "It's so far from home with a new group of people, new city… it's a bit nerve-wracking."

"I understand. Those are very real and very rational fears. There is nothing wrong in being afraid of the future."

She played with his fingers. "But you're not. You're ready to get out of Angel Grove and leave this place far behind. I can see it in your eyes."

Billy cleared his throat before taking a sip of his iced tea.

"I can never leave Angel Grove behind. I was born here and have been in this city all my life. I've experienced so much while growing up here. I've made lifelong friends, met the woman I wish to marry one day." She squeezed his hand at that. "Angel Grove is where I grew up to be the man I am today."

He took another long sip from his drink. "I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I can never outrun this place, and I'm not sure that's what I really want to do." He grabbed her other hand, running a thumb over her knuckles. "But my time here is up. It's time to move on and move forward. And I'm ready."

Trini met Billy's piercing blue gaze, and she had the strangest feeling that he was talking about more than what was on the surface.

"Here you go," they heard in the distance. Their waiter, Zhane, was approaching them with two large plates, and the delicious smell reached their noses.

"Stuffed mushrooms, as you ordered, and here's some bread," he said with a smile. He handed them two small plates to put their food on.

"Do you need a few minutes or are you ready to order your entrées?" he asked.

The couple locked eyes, and Billy gave a slight nod in her direction.

She turned to the young waiter, eyes shining. "We're ready to order."

* * *

**Weapons Room**

**Command Center**

**10:23 PM**

"That's the last one," said Aisha, running a hand along the large blue weapon. The six weapons shined brightly as they hung on the wall.

"How long until Master Vile gets to Earth?" asked Tommy.

Billy wiped his brow. "From what the map indicated, he should arrive within three weeks if he keeps Serpentera at its current speed."

Kim ran a hand through her hair. "All right. So what do we have left to do?"

"Test the weapons, test the zords, find something to hold the power…" Rocky checked off the items on his fingers.

"And find power bearers," finished Adam. Scorpina was sitting comfortably beside him.

The rangers paused as the words were said aloud. Up until this point, the issue of actually _finding_ power bearers had been pushed to the back of their minds. The rangers were so focused on building zords and weapons and uniforms… it never occurred to them that they'd have to find people to use all of this.

"I've found a way to keep the power from binding to the person. By linking it to a stable structure, it will be possible to transfer the power, if necessary, to another whose physiology allows them to wield the power," said Billy.

"That doesn't change the fact that we actually have to _find _someone to take our powers," reminded Aisha.

"No kids," said Kim. "I don't want any more being put in the same situation as we were."

"Who are we to even make that decision?" asked Adam. "What gives us the right to decide who should be given such a responsibility? Such a burden?"

Scorpina slid a hand around his shoulders in comfort and he jerked violently, skin crawling at her touch. She laughed at his reaction, the sound piercing his ears. The black ranger looked at his teammates, aware that they were looking at him in concern.

He stood suddenly. "This isn't like when we were picked. We were Zordon's chosen – the Ninjetti picked us. We're choosing this time."

Billy shook his head angrily. "This is nothing like when we were chosen."

The blue ranger's fists clenched tightly. "We were given the illusion of choice; these people will be given an actual choice. They won't be a group of impressionable teenagers, essentially forced to choose between saving the world and bearing the weight of letting the universe suffer on their conscience. They will know the truth of what they are facing and the danger that is out there."

Rocky looked at the blue ranger. "Billy, you said yourself that if you had known the truth from the beginning - if Zordon had been upfront from the start - you would have told him no."

The blue ranger tensed. "I stand by that."

"Then how can you expect someone else to say yes willingly when you wouldn't?"

Billy faced his friend. "Because the rest of you would."

The others remained quiet, recognizing the truth in his words.

"For the one like me that would say no, there exist at least five of you that would have said yes." The sandy-haired teen sighed.

"I have to believe those odds still exist."

* * *

**Angel Grove Park**

**Morgan Stanley Employee Barbecue**

**Saturday, 2:20 PM**

Adam, Aisha, and Rocky made their way over to the loud music and smoking barbecue pits on the other side of the park.

"Geez, how many people work at Mrs. Sloan's firm?" asked Rocky. There had to be at least 200 people at the barbecue.

"Do you guys see Tanya?" asked Adam.

He was feeling particularly good, not having seen Scorpina for the last three days. He knew he was slowly losing his mind and should probably speak to the others, but he didn't want to think about that at the moment. He needed to find Tanya.

Aisha peered at the crowd. "I think that's her… yeah, it is. She's waving at us."

Three turns turned to look at the approaching teen. Tanya was wearing a green blouse and fitted jeans. Even dressed casually, Adam thought she was gorgeous.

"Hey!" she said as she reached them, hugging each of them quickly, though hers with Adam lingered.

"Where's Aunt Michelle?" asked Aisha. Aisha's father and Tanya's mother were fraternal twins.

Tanya turned around. "She's over there with dad. They're mingling or whatever it is old people do." She smiled brightly. "You guys hungry?"

Rocky grinned, linking arms with her. "Always."

Adam and Aisha rolled their eyes as Tanya led the red ranger over to the food.

"We got burgers, hot dogs, ribs, brisket –"

Rocky held up a hand. "You have _brisket?_ Where?"

Tanya laughed, pointing at a table a few yards away. "It's over there with the mac and cheese and corn."

The red ranger let out an excited yelp as he ran over. Aisha shook her head.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't inhale everything," she said with a laugh, leaving Adam and Tanya alone.

"You're not hungry?" asked Tanya.

Adam shook his head. "Not yet."

She nodded. "Um… you wanna go somewhere and talk or something?"

"Yeah," he said, reaching out to grab her hand in his. He smiled when he felt her thread their fingers together.

They headed away from everyone, finding a tree at the edge of the park with no one around. "So…" started Adam, his hand playing softly with hers as he leaned against the tree.

Tanya sighed. "What are we, Adam?"

He peered up at her, squinting to ward off the sun. "What do you want to be?"

"We've been friends for a long time… since you moved to Angel Grove. And we know we both have feelings for each other." She looked at him with a serious expression. "I'm tired of dancing around this."

"So am I," he admitted. "I would like to date… exclusively, if that's all right with you."

"Why not just ask me to be your girlfriend?" she wondered.

He flushed slightly. "I plan to, believe me."

She smiled at this.

"I just want to take things slow. I've never had a girlfriend before, so I'm kind of new at this," he confessed.

Tanya grinned, finding Adam positively adorable. "You've already taken me on dates, Adam. We've just labeled it as being friends," she reminded.

"Oh… _oh yeah_," he chuckled nervously. "Then- yeah, okay… do you, uh… do you want to be my girlfriend?"

Tanya covered her mouth as she laughed. This had to be the clumsiest, most awkward yet incredibly sweet and endearing way a boy had ever asked her out.

"Yes," she said once she calmed down. "But I agree about taking things slow. We don't have to rush anything, especially since we'll both be at Stanford in the fall."

He nodded, moving off the tree to stand before her. Adam pressed a quick kiss to her lips before he grabbed her hand firmly, walking back with her to pits. Tanya couldn't fight the smile on her face, and she knew she was grinning like an idiot.

As they headed back, they ran into Jonathan Chan, a longtime co-worker of Tanya's mother, and his wife, Ann.

"Tanya!" said the Chinese man happily.

Tanya smiled as she directed Adam over to the older man. "Hi, Mr. Chan, Mrs. Chan," she said politely.

"It seems like forever since we've seen you. Your mother says you'll be going to college in the fall," said Mrs. Chan.

"Yes, sir. I will be attending Stanford in the fall."

"An excellent school," said Jonathan. "Your parents must be proud."

His gaze turned to Adam, trailing down to their linked hands. "And who is this young man?"

Adam flushed. "Adam Park, I also attend Angel Grove High. I'm Tanya's… boyfriend."

The light squeeze on his hand let him know that was how she wanted him introduced. It was strange to Adam; he wanted so long to be her boyfriend, and now saying it felt weird. With how many times he imagined asking her out, he thought it would come naturally to him.

"Nice to meet you," said Jonathan as he firmly shook Adam's hand. "You're treating Tanya well, aren't you?"

Tanya grinned. "Adam's nothing short of a gentleman, Mr. Chan. He'll also be attending Stanford in the fall."

Adam smiled, grateful for the change in subject. He spent the rest of the conversation listening, not really following what was going on. He focused when he saw Mr. Chan waving someone over from behind them.

"There she is!" he said excitedly. "You haven't met our daughter, have you, Tanya?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't believe so."

"I'd like to introduce you. She graduated from Stanford last year. I don't know why you and Sabrina haven't met before," he said shaking his head.

Adam heard approaching footsteps, followed by a soft voice. "Hey, dad."

"Sabrina, I'd like you to meet Tanya Sloan and Adam Park. They'll both be attending Stanford in the fall. This is my daughter, Sabrina."

Adam turned to face the approaching girl, and his smile dropped when he realized he was staring right into the face of Scorpina.

"Hi," said Tanya, who reached out to shake the older girl's hand.

Sabrina turned to Adam, who stared at her in shock. "Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

He cleared his throat awkward. "Y-Yeah, sorry. Hi." He shook her hand dazedly.

She smiled. "So you two are going to Stanford next year. It's a great school. Have you thought about what you'd like to major in?"

As Sabrina and Tanya chatted, Adam could feel his heartbeat increase rapidly. Everything seemed to slow down for him, and his gaze was solely on Sabrina.

He knew Scorpina was dead; Master Vile confirmed it himself. But this Sabrina bore a _striking_ resemblance to the psychotic warrior. She didn't have the armor, the voice, the nails, or the bad attitude.

But her face. It was as if they were twins. The only difference was in their eyes. Where Scorpina's eyes were black and deadly, Sabrina's were soft, brown, and kind.

"And you, Adam?" asked Sabrina, her questioning gaze fixed upon him.

Adam's eyes were unseeing, and in his mind, Sabrina was transforming into Scorpina right before him. Her eyes went black, her smile gone from her face. The t-shirt and jeans she wore turned into gold metallic armor. He could see her tail flicking wildly behind her.

"Oh god," he whispered, raising a hand to his head.

"Adam?" It was Tanya, but her voice sounded far away. "Adam, you all right?"

He nodded weakly. "Yeah, I just… sudden migraine."

"Let's get him to a bench," suggested Sabrina, and she grabbed onto one of his arms, resting the other lightly against the small of his back as she guided him.

Adam felt his skin burn where she touched him, and he looked up into her face, watching her cackle. He could feel his skin tearing where she touched his arm, blood seeping from his flesh. Pain in his back began to flare up suddenly, and he could smell his charred flesh.

Adam snatched his arm away from her suddenly, and Sabrina took a tentative step back. She extended her hand, carefully approaching him. "Do you need me to get you anything?" she asked.

The black ranger looked at her hand, seeing a sword where he knew was actually nothing. He shuddered, attempting to calm himself from his paranoia.

"No," he said quickly, attempting a smile. "I-I'm fine."

Tanya rubbed his back. "I'll get you some water," she said before walking off.

Adam held his head in his hands, rubbing his temples as a throbbing pain hit him. He looked up, seeing Sabrina looking at him in concern before she mutated into a cackling Scorpina. His eyes widened when he looked around, seeing shadows in the distance.

'_Oh god… what's wrong with me?'_ he asked himself.

Adam took several deep breaths as he tried to calm his nerves, focusing on the sounds around him.

"I thought for sure the barbecue would be cancelled," he heard behind him. "I was expecting a monster attack to ruin our day."

"There hasn't been a monster attack in weeks. I think those two up there on the moon finally got it from the power rangers," said another.

'_Not what I needed to hear,'_ though Adam sourly.

He massaged his temples, opening his eyes only to see putties moving around in the distance. Scorpina was still standing a few feet away from him, circular blades in one hand as she pointed her sword at him with the other with a malicious grin.

The black ranger slowly rocked himself on the bench, eyes shut tightly as he tried to ignore the tricks his eyes were playing on him.

"Adam?" He looked up, meeting the concerned gazes of Rocky, Aisha, and Tanya.

"Tanya called us over," said Rocky. "What's wrong?"

"Scorpina," Adam whispered. He shook his head when they looked at him in confusion. "Everywhere."

"Shit," muttered Aisha as she looked around. "We need to get him out of here."

Rocky grabbed Adam's arm, lifting him up and gently leading him to Aisha's car.

"Hey, Tanya, we're gonna take Adam home. He's not… feeling well," said Aisha. "Prone to migraines, and the noise and sunlight are starting to get to him."

Tanya wore a worried look on her face. "Do you guys want me to come with?" she asked.

Aisha held up a hand. "No! No, uh… we got this. But I'll make sure he calls you once he feels better."

Aisha felt bad as she saw Tanya watch Adam walk away with a mixture of anxiety and sadness.

"Okay," she said with hesitation. "Take care of him, 'Sha."

Aisha nodded, turning to run quickly over to her friends. She found Adam resting heavily against her car, and she threw her keys to Rocky so he could open the door.

The black ranger crawled inside, lying down as he clutched his head in his hands. Aisha rested a hand on his arm, and she accidentally brushed against the scar he received from the battle, causing him to jump.

"Adam, what's wrong?"

He groaned. "Scorpina - she's here," he said weakly.

Rocky shot Aisha a panicked glance. "She's not here, Adam. Scorpina's dead."

The black ranger shook his head. "She's here," he insisted as he massaged his temples.

Aisha's hand made its way to his hair, thumb running lightly over his forehead.

"Adam… Scorpina died in the last battle. Kim killed her, remember?" she asked softly.

Adam nodded, knowing what Aisha said to be true. He was there when Kim killed Scorpina. He watched the warrior die, remembered her lifeless body falling on top of his.

His frightened eyes traveled to Aisha and Rocky's worried ones.

"We're going to take you home," said Rocky. "Maybe you just need to sleep it off."

The black ranger said nothing, staring blankly out the car window, and they interpreted that as agreement.

They didn't know he could see Scorpina standing outside of Aisha's car, black eyes dancing in delight as she watched him.

* * *

**Mojave Desert**

**Sunday, 1:11 PM**

"**Holy shit!**" came Rocky's voice over the com-link.

Aisha grinned at her boyfriend's excitement as she watched as his zord raced across the desert.

"I see the nos is working," commented Tommy.

"Hell yeah!" shouted Rocky.

Kim's pink zord soon followed behind Rocky's, and her excited squeal was heard by all.

"Ah, what the hell," muttered Adam before pressing the large blue button, his body flying backwards into the seat as he ripped across the desert.

Tommy laughed, randomly doing spins with his vehicle in the sand. "Traction is excellent. Balance maintained at high speed turns," he noted.

"Hey, Billy?" he called to his best friend.

"Yes, Tommy?"

"When this is all over, I want one of these. These are fucking awesome!"

The blue ranger chuckled over the link. "I believe I've reached the same technical conclusion."

It was day four of zord testing. The first few days were spent making repairs to the system. Adam's zord was unable to activate the nitrous oxide, leaving him in the dust when the others accessed their nos. Kim's zord nearly toppled over when doing a spin, nearly causing Tommy to jump out of his own moving zord.

The first time they tried to link up the zords to create the Megazord, the locking mechanism malfunctioned, and the arms of the Megazord fell onto the scalding sand. Luckily, no one was inside, but it sent everyone into a state of panic about what could have happened if it were a real battle.

Billy was sure this time, however, they would get it right.

"All right, let's bring them together," said Tommy, hitting the correct sequence.

The six zords came together, and the teens cheered when the Megazord was successfully created.

"Test its arms, legs, dexterity… everything. We need to check the range of the missiles and lasers, along with the limits of the Megazord," said Billy.

"All right," said Rocky happily. "Let's see what this baby can do."

* * *

**Angel Grove Park**

**Wednesday, 4:43 PM**

"Oh, Kim, it's going to be so sad when you're gone next year," said Meredith Johnson, co-captain of the cheerleading squad.

Kim fought the urge to roll her eyes, choosing instead to respond with as much false sincerity as Meredith. "I know, Meredith, but I know if anyone can lead the team next year, it's you."

The black-haired girl placed a hand on her chest, gasping at Kimberly's praise.

"That means so much to me, Kim. And don't worry, I promise to keep your memory alive as your replacement."

The other girls on the team clapped at Meredith's words, and Kim closed her eyes, counting down from ten in order to keep from vomiting.

'_All this sickeningly sweet fakeness is going to give me diabetes,'_ she thought to herself.

The cheerleading squad had decided to give their senior members a send-off over by the lake that afternoon. As captain for the last two years, the girls were in near hysterics over Kim's leaving.

Or so it appeared.

"To the best captain we've ever had at Angel Grove High!" exclaimed Meredith loudly. The team cheered loudly, chanting Kimberly's name.

It was giving her a migraine.

"Kim, you have to give a speech!" yelled one of the younger girls. Kim inwardly groaned.

'_If ever there was a time for a monster attack or a surprise visit from the putty patrol...'_

The pink ranger plastered a bright smile on her face, climbing on top of the table to give an impromptu speech. "Uh, wow. Thank you so much for your kind words. It has been a memorable experience here at Angel Grove, and being on this team has been a major part of it. I have had the pleasure of being your captain for these past two years, and I am so proud of all of you and everything we've accomplished together. I –"

She paused, eyes narrowing as she saw a tall form headed in their direction. From his height and build, she knew it was Tommy.

"–I will cherish the time we've spent together," she finished. The girls clapped wildly, smiling up at their captain.

"Let's do one last cheer to show Kim how much she'll be missed," suggested Meredith.

Kim gave a weak smile. _'Please don't.'_

"Excuse me ladies," interrupted Tommy, "but would you mind if I borrowed your lovely captain for a minute?"

He flashed Kim an impish grin before schooling his face to radiate nothing but charm, picnic basket in hand.

The other girls visibly swooned, and Kim rolled her eyes. It was interesting to her how the others saw her boyfriend, especially females. They thought he was the sweetest, nicest, most thoughtful and charming boyfriend in the world.

To Kimberly, he was just Tommy – arrogant, stubborn, considerate, intoxicating, brooding, masculine, and somewhat of an asshole.

Like right now. They didn't have any plans for the afternoon, and he knew she already had plans with the cheerleading squad but decided to show up anyway. But given that she didn't really want to be there, she'd let this one slide.

"Oh, Tommy," said one of the girls, "you're so sweet to pick Kim up. Are you going on a picnic?"

'_No, I just have a picnic basket in my hand and a checkered blanket over my shoulder for no fucking reason at all,'_ he projected to Kim, who covered her laugh with a cough.

He smiled at the girl. "Yeah. Kim and I have a date in the park." Tommy turned back to his girlfriend.

"Beautiful?"

She chuckled as the girls cooed over his nickname for her, and she knew Tommy wanted nothing more than for all of them to disappear. He never thought anything he said or did was romantic – he just did what felt natural.

Tommy placed the basket at her feet, reaching up to grip her waist before lifting her off the table. Once she was on the ground, he pulled her into him and she wrapped her arms around his waist, tilting her head back to kiss him on the lips as a lone finger played with the belt loop of his jeans.

"You ready?" he asked, voice husky.

She nodded, head resting against his white sweatshirt. Tommy reached behind her, grabbing the basket off the bench and turning to head to the park, Kim's hand locked with his.

"You knew I was supposed to spend the afternoon with the girls," she reminded.

He raised an eyebrow. "You know, if you're going to complain, you can always go back."

"Shut up."

He grinned, pulling her closer to him as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Finding a secluded area of the park, Tommy laid the picnic blanket over the table, dropping the basket on top. Kim smoothed out her lavender sundress before taking a seat, watching Tommy open the basket.

"All right, we have a chicken Caesar salad for you, a turkey, bacon, and Swiss sandwich for me…" He rummaged through the small basket. "We have some chips, strawberries… grapes, juice… oh, and some pound cake for dessert."

She smiled. "What's the occasion?"

Tommy looked at her with a nervous smile, and she was struck with how gorgeous he looked in that moment.

"I just wanted to see you." His words placed a grin on her face.

Ever since Kim's breakdown in Tommy's basement a few weeks ago, she and Tommy were almost always with each other. The intimacy of their relationship had increased significantly since that night. Tommy and Kim had been sleeping with each other every night – usually she would teleport to his room after their parents went to sleep and crawl into bed with him. They wouldn't have sex; in fact, haven't had sex since the day Tommy left the regeneration tank. Their nights were mostly spent with him holding her tightly as they talked for hours. It was just what she needed to keep the nightmares at bay and heal from the traumatic experience of his death.

"You didn't make this, did you?" she asked.

Tommy rolled his eyes as he snorted. "Of course not. I'm not trying to poison us."

Kim snickered. "Well, even if you bought everything, this was incredibly sweet of you. Thank you, Tommy."

She leaned forward, pulling his face to hers as she quickly kissed him softly on the lips. She pulled back before he could deepen the kiss, and Kim chuckled at his put-out expression.

"Hush," she scolded teasingly before rubbing her hands together. "Now, let's eat."

The two spent their time alternating between talking and eating, and Kim was endlessly amused at Tommy's antics to steal her food. His appetite far exceeded hers, and she found herself sharing nearly all of her food with her very hungry boyfriend.

"You're like a bottomless pit," she said disgustedly as he inhaled his food.

Tommy glared at her, and she found herself laughing hysterically at the crumbs gathered around his mouth. He looked like an overgrown child.

"That cake looks good," he commented. "Can I have some?"

"Sure," she said before squealing loudly when he grabbed her suddenly, mouth nibbling on the sensitive skin of her neck. He suckled the skin softly, and Kim let out a soft moan.

Tommy's eyes trailed from the cake in her hand to the grapes in front of her, and he reached around to get them. Kimberly had claimed them as her own when he devoured all the strawberries, and he had been attempting to get the sweet grapes from her for the last hour. Kim swatted his hand, snatching the grapes off the table.

"That's low, Tommy. Trying to seduce me to take my grapes," she said while shaking her head.

"Almost worked, too," he said sadly. "Can I have some, please?"

She took pity on him. "You have to earn it."

She smacked him on the chest at his raised eyebrow. "Not from _that_, you perv." He grinned.

"You have to catch them… with your mouth."

Tommy smirked. "No problem."

Kim laughed. "Alright." She plucked a grape. "Ready?"

He nodded. "No hard throws. I don't want you cheating."

Kim tossed the grape, laughing when it smacked him on the forehead and onto the ground. She threw another, and it bounced off his nose and cheek before landing in the grass.

"You're cheating," he insisted.

"Yes, because I'm using my mystical powers to make you suck," she said saucily.

"Again," he said, ignoring her, and she tossed another grape. Tommy managed to catch it in his mouth, smiling smugly as he chewed it.

The two continued the game for some time, and Tommy actually managed to catch almost all of the remaining grapes. He held up a hand to stop her when he felt something hit his face, first once and then again twice more.

"What?" she asked worriedly.

Tommy wiped his face, eyes widening slightly when he realized what fell.

"Kim, we need to go, it's gonna –" A loud boom of thunder rang in the sky, followed by a sudden downpour.

"Rain," he finished lamely.

The two quickly gathered their supplies, and they raced as quickly as they could to Tommy's F-150, laughing the entire way.

They climbed inside the truck, drenched and shivering from the rain. Tommy turned on the engine, blasting heat to warm their cold bodies. He peeled off his sweatshirt, green wifebeater slightly damp. He removed his hair tie, letting his wet locks fall over his shoulders. Kim squeezed the water from her hair into her lap.

"Shit," said Tommy. The rain was coming down so hard he could barely see out the windshield. "We might be here for a while, Kim. I can't see anything and don't wanna drive through this."

"It's fine," she reassured.

Tommy quickly opened his door, running to get in the backseat. At Kim's confused look, he elaborated. "More space back here."

He watched her open the door, joining him shortly after. He grabbed her hand. "Sorry about this," he said. "It totally slipped my mind to check the weather."

She laughed. "Tommy, trust me, it's okay. I had a good time." She poked him in the stomach. "Rain and all."

She continued poking him, knowing he was ticklish, and he growled playfully as he wrestled with her. She ended up straddling his waist, arms locked to her chest as he held her.

The two suddenly became aware of how close they were to each other, and Tommy subconsciously licked his lips as her chest heaved against his. She pushed the loose strands of hair behind her ear, eyes searching his.

Tommy's hand was lightly gripping her waist, and Kim could his erection against her inner thigh. Her sundress was see-through from the rain, and the black lace bra and matching panties stood out starkly through the thin material.

Hesitantly, Tommy reached up, cupping Kim's face in his hands as he kissed her. They kissed slowly in the back of his truck, tongues colliding sensuously.

Tommy dragged his lips to her neck, and Kim's eyes closed as she felt his hands cup her ass.

"If you want me to stop, let me know," he whispered hotly against her skin.

Tommy spent most of the last few weeks with Kim rebuilding her trust in him. His leaving her had broken something inside of her, and she needed to remember the security she felt in their relationship prior to the lunar invasion. It had been difficult for Tommy to get through to her, and he purposefully avoided sex in order for their emotional connection to be rebuilt first. He didn't want to push Kimberly into having sex with her being so fragile.

Kim ground herself onto him and he hissed at the feeling. She went back to kissing him, and his hands found their way to her thighs. Her dress was bunched around her waist, and he gripped her legs tightly to prevent himself from going further.

She pulled back from him, reaching between to grab the edge of his shirt.

"Don't stop," she whispered, pulling his shirt over his head and kissing him again.

She snaked a hand into his pants, removing his wallet and grabbing a condom from inside before chucking it over her shoulder carelessly. Tommy groaned as her fingers moved to his head and massaged his scalp, and he sucked her tongue into his mouth as his hands found their way under her dress. Her hands were making quick work of his belt buckle, snapping open his jeans and pulling down the zipper. She grabbed his length through his boxers, and he lifted so she could roll his jeans down his hips. She ripped the small foil packet in her hand, rolling the condom down his length.

Sweat beads gathered on their skin, the hot air from the heater making the inside of Tommy's truck an inferno. Neither minded, too engrossed in each other to really give a damn. He cupped her through her panties, groaning at the wetness and heat there. He shoved aside her underwear, running a finger quickly up her slit before adjusting her so that he slid inside of her.

Kim gasped as inch after inch of Tommy filled her, and her hands immediately sought his shoulders. Tommy was in his own personal heaven and couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.

Gripping her hips tightly, Tommy rocked his hips against hers. Their position was somewhat awkward, but it would have to do for the time being. His teeth nipped her breasts through her dress; she moaned at the sensation.

He met her downward thrusts with his own upward ones, slightly frustrated at how limited his movements were. Kim ground against him hard, whimpering loudly. Tommy was thick and hard inside of her, his cock spreading her wide as she rode him fiercely.

She yelped suddenly when he lifted her, turning sideways so that she lay on her back looking up at him. Tommy braced himself on the seat, hands resting on either side of his head. The change in position allowed him leverage, and he began to pump his hips at a maddening pace. Kim arched against him, crying out loudly as he fucked her.

The heat in the truck was nearly unbearable and the two were sweating profusely. Tommy was grateful that his windows were completely fogged up; he didn't want to be arrested for indecent exposure, though he was sure that anyone close by could see the truck rocking back and forth in the parking lot or hear the pleasure-filled moans and figure out what exactly was going on.

"Kim," he grunted. "Oh god…"

He pressed his face into her neck, licking her skin as she cried his name. Her thighs were spread as wide as possible, and Tommy sank deep inside of her. He gripped her hips, lifting her at an angle that let him thrust balls deep on each stroke.

"Yes… OH… Tommy!" screamed Kim loudly as the tip of him repeatedly stroked her spot. Her hands shot out suddenly, one gripping the head of the driver seat, the other gripping the door handle as she writhed beneath him.

"Tommy, I'm…" Her breath hitched as she bucked beneath him.

He grabbed her hands, locking them with his as kissed her neck, and he gasped harshly as she clamped down on him tightly. He felt himself swell inside of her before his world went blank.

"Beautiful," he moaned before he shuddered over her, hips pumping sporadically as he came forcefully inside the condom.

Kim engaged him in a wet lip lock, swallowing his groans as he came. His hands cupped her face, and he could feel the shivers in her stomach from her own orgasm.

The two kept kissing long after their climaxes ebbed, and Kim was surprised to feel Tommy hardening inside of her again. He pulled back, eyes nearly black as he looked at her with a drugged expression. She nodded slightly, and he engaged her in another kiss, her own arousal increasing as their tongues dueled.

It wasn't very long before the lone vehicle in the parking lot of Angel Grove Park began to rock again in the pouring rain.

* * *

**Weapons Room**

**Command Center**

**11:04 PM**

Aisha walked up behind the blue ranger, twirling the daggers in her hands skillfully.

"How's it coming?"

Billy gave a tired smile. "I think I found the solution." The blue ranger grabbed his backpack off the nearby table, pulling out six small shimmering stones.

Upon closer inspection, Aisha recognized them as crystals from his lab. "I don't understand."

Billy picked up one, holding it up to his face.

"The problem is that we need something to hold the power that is small, concealable, and stable. Zordon was able to use coins because he already found the Imanyd in the form of shards, which have a stable atomic structure. We are dealing with the Imanyd in its natural form, which is highly unstable when disturbed."

He ran a finger along the surface of a crystal. "The reason the shards worked were because they are crystalline structures." He set the piece down. "The crystalline structure is incredibly stable, and for something as powerful as the Imanyd, such stability was needed to successfully break it into fifteen stable pieces."

Aisha nodded in understanding. "So you're thinking these crystals can provide the same stability."

"Precisely." He typed rapidly on the computer. "Infusing the crystals with the Imanyd's energy may be the only way to make this work. But I need all of us to do this."

She watched him. "So what are you doing now?"

"Linking the zords, weapons, morphers and uniforms to each other in preparation for the link to the morphing grid."

Billy closed his eyes tiredly. "The ability to morph, to call on the zords… everything depends on a ranger's connection to the morphing grid. It's an energy field that allows us to call upon our power. Everything has to be linked to the grid in order to work seamlessly."

"And how do you link them?" she asked.

"With the power source." Billy ran a hand over his face. "When Zordon created the morphing grid, he used the seven Imanyd shards in his possession. He then used the same shards to create our powers, thus making an unbreakable link between us and the grid."

"I see," she said.

"Theoretically, because we are using the Imanyd energy to build everything, a connection to the grid should be possible. But to maintain that connection through these crystals… they could possibly shatter or repel in the process…"

Billy shook his head. "My knowledge in this area is very limited, and with Zordon in hibernation, I'm not even certain this can be done," he admitted.

Aisha rested a hand on his shoulder. "I have faith in you, Billy. If anyone can figure this out, you can. You're the smartest person I know."

He said nothing, choosing instead to watch her retreat to the other side of the room, fighting an invisible foe with the daggers.

'_Let's hope you're right.'_


	25. Chapter 24

_**Author's Note:** Just a quick update since this is a short chapter. Only one left! :-O. Please read and review._

* * *

**Youth Center**

**Senior Sendoff Celebration**

**Saturday, 4:03 PM**

"Thanks, Ernie," Tommy said gratefully as he grabbed the three smoothies off the counter.

"Anything for my favorite customers," said the portly man.

The white ranger flashed him a smile before heading to the table a few feet away, allowing Billy and Rocky to grab their cups.

"Thanks, T," said Rocky, who gulped down his mango smoothie.

The Youth Center was filled with lively chatter. As Ernie was throwing a celebration for the outgoing senior class of AGHS, the room was filled with many students from the school and their parents.

"It's going to be weird," said Rocky. "When we're all gone."

Tommy nodded. "Yeah. I've only been in Angel Grove for four years, but it's going to be weird not seeing you guys every day." He threw a look at Billy. "Well, besides _this _one."

The blue ranger rolled his eyes.

Tommy smiled when he felt soft hands grip his shoulders, and he turned his head to meet Kim in a kiss.

"Hey," she said with a smile before pointing at his cup. "What's that?"

He handed her the cup, letting her take a sip of his drink.

She gave a delighted purr. "This is delicious," she said. "Strawberry kiwi?"

He nodded. "I know how much you love the juice. Ernie's started making the smoothies."

Kim grinned, sliding down to sit in Tommy's lap. He wrapped an arm around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder.

"What're you guys up to?" she asked.

"We were just discussing how different it will be now when we leave Angel Grove. We have been together for quite some time, I imagine it will be strange once we part ways," said Billy.

Kim wore a sad smile. "Yeah. Rocky and Aisha will be in L.A., I'll be in Baltimore, Adam and Tanya over in Stanford, and you two up near Boston with Trini. The group's all splitting up."

Tommy pulled her tighter against him, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"I don't believe distance will be an issue," said Billy. "We've known each other too long and have forged strong enough friendships that it will carry on for years." He sipped his banana smoothie.

His words made Kim smile, and she leaned over, pinching his cheek. "Aww, Billy…"

They all laughed when he swatted her hand away.

Aisha came up to them, grabbing Rocky's smoothie and taking a sip. She made a disgusted face. "Ugh, mango," she complained.

He snickered. "That's what you get for snatching my stuff. I would've told you it was mango but you were too quick."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'm going to get my own." She looked around. "Damn, it's packed."

"Yeah, Ernie's giving smoothies on the house. No one misses out on those," said Tommy.

Kim shook her head, taking a long sip of his smoothie before passing the cup to him. "No one but Adam and Tanya." She grinned. "They're on a date."

"Another?" asked Tommy. "Damn… he's really into her."

Billy laughed. "Deduce that all on your own?" he asked, grinning when Tommy flipped him off.

"Adam has been enamored with Tanya since he came here. Now that he finally plucked up the courage to have a romantic relationship with her, it seems he is making up for lost time," said Billy.

"I'm happy for him," said Aisha. "I never thought that boy would shut up about my cousin - or her about him. It was driving me crazy!"

They all laughed.

Rocky looked around quickly before leaning in, his voice lowering. "Speaking of Adam… have you guys noticed anything weird about him?"

Tommy opened his mouth, only for Kim to elbow him hard in the stomach. "Shut up before you even start."

He pouted, upset that she ruined his joke.

"Has he been exhibiting behavior that's out of the ordinary?" asked the blue ranger.

Rocky shared a glance with Aisha. "Remember that barbecue at the park a while back? The one sponsored by the firm Tanya's mom works for?"

"Yes," said Billy. "The three of you were invited by Tanya to attend."

The red ranger nodded. "Yeah, while we were there, there was an… incident."

"What kind of _incident_?" Tommy asked.

"Adam was seeing things," said Aisha. "He kept telling us Scorpina was at the park."

Kim shook her head. "That's impossible. I made sure of that on Serpentera," she hissed, looking over her shoulder to make sure they weren't overheard. "We got confirmation from Vile that she's dead."

"_We_ know that," said the yellow ranger. "But he swore he saw her. Said she was everywhere."

Kim rubbed her forehead slowly. "That doesn't make any sense."

Billy sat quietly, playing with his straw. "Was he having an anxiety attack by any chance?"

Rocky and Aisha looked at each other before she nodded. "Yeah, I think so. He was hunched over for a while, kept gripping his head and mumbling to himself. We got him back to the car before he made a scene, and he just laid there with this blank look."

The blue ranger digested this information. "Anything else?"

Tommy bit his lip in thought. "He's been kinda spacey lately… a little jumpy."

"In what way?" Kim asked.

Tommy shrugged. "I don't know; it's weird. It's like he's scared someone's going to touch him or…"

"…or like they're touching him and he doesn't want them to," finished Aisha.

Tommy and Billy locked eyes. "Shit," said the white ranger.

"What? What is it?" Kim asked, alarmed.

"Adam's seeing Scorpina when we all know she's dead… and he's jittery. Does anyone know if he's been having nightmares?" asked Tommy.

Kim had a guilty look on her face. "He is - or at least was. He's never told me what they're about or how often he has them but I woke him up from one once before."

Billy sighed. "It's happening again."

"What's happening again?" asked Rocky as he looked between Tommy and Billy. "What's wrong with Adam?"

"Post traumatic stress disorder," said the long-haired teen solemnly.

He had discussed Kim's symptoms to Billy - what she was going through in reaction to his death. Tommy had been monitoring Kim's condition, and from what Billy could tell, she was also suffering from PTSD. He clenched his fist in anger at the realization that Adam was suffering from it, as well.

"Wait… _what_? He's had this before?" asked Aisha.

"No, I did," the blue-eyed teen explained, saving Tommy from having to bring up Kim's condition to the rest of the group. "After my brother's death, I was exhibiting the symptoms. Skittish behavior, night terrors, hallucinating… The doctors believed witnessing my brother's murder is what triggered it."

"I never knew that," said Aisha.

None of them did except Tommy.

"It was why I was homeschooled for third grade."

Rocky ran a hand over his face. "And you think- you think the fight with Scorpina is what did it?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense," reasoned Billy. "Adam nearly died, and the injuries he received from that fight carried on afterwards. He still has the scars and was briefly paralyzed because of that attack."

"Jesus," Kim breathed as she sagged against Tommy.

"He needs a therapist," said Rocky. "I can't imagine it's gotten any better."

Aisha snorted. "Yeah. And what would he tell the doctor? He's a power ranger and he's traumatized from a near death experience with a psychotic alien warrior that tried to skewer him?"

"Good point," said the red ranger. "But we can't just do nothing."

"I'll talk to him," said Billy. "It's only going to get worse if he doesn't deal with the experience, but a professional is not an option. Maybe we can find some common ground since I've dealt with it before."

"Let me know if I can help," said Kim softly, hand resting gently over Billy's. He nodded in thanks.

The teens quickly shut up as Ernie approached them, all smiles as he placed a tray of delicious sandwiches in front of them. "Made your usual, just how you like 'em!"

"Thanks, Ernie," Aisha replied.

The teens stared at the food, unable to bring themselves to eat.

They had lost their appetite.

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

**Sunday, 2:06 PM**

"Is everyone ready?" asked Tommy.

The six teens stood around the Imanyd, each holding a small crystal in their hands and a morpher at their side.

"As ready as we can be," Kim said nervously.

Billy cleared his throat. "Zordon made our power coins by studying the Phaedosian texts given to him by Dulcea. I found the texts in the study, and from what I gather, the fusing process is relatively simple."

"We have the power source-" he pointed at the Imanyd "-and we have the power bridge." He held up his crystal.

"To create the link requires some type of supernatural ability on the part of those making the connection. In Zordon's case, his skills as a wizard gave him the ability to wield the energy of the Imanyd shards."

"And us?" asked Aisha.

"While our abilities are not technically supernatural, we each have the ability to wield energy due to our connection to the Imanyd through the Ninjetti.

"The uniforms, zords, and weapons are all linked to the morphing grid right now through the morphers. Aisha and I worked on that before. The morphers cannot work without a power source – the Imanyd, but the Imanyd cannot exactly be carried around at all times. Hence, the crystals. They serve as the bridge between the morphers and the Imanyd energy here."

"And how exactly do we make this bridge?" asked the red ranger.

"That's the tricky part," admitted Billy. "The power bridge acts like a doorway in a sense. Imagine a door between the morpher and the Imanyd energy."

"Like an actual door?"asked Adam.

"Yes," said Billy. "A large door that is extremely difficult to move. We have to find a way to get the Imanyd through that door."

"How?" asked Tommy.

"On a molecular level, the crystal has a vast number of subatomic particles that create chains. Those chains can be considered pathways," explained Billy. "We need to find a pathway from one side of the crystal to the other, and once it's found, imprint it into the crystal's core."

Billy closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, the faint blue glow of the Imanyd in his eyes.

He lifted his crystal before them, brow furrowed as he created a pathway through the crystal. The others followed suit, creating their own path inside their small gems.

"Once you've made the path, direct the Imanyd energy through it, and merge the energy with the crystal's structure. It needs to grow accustom to channeling so much energy and following the pathway. Focus on your connection to the morphing grid, and link the crystal to the appropriate morpher."

The crystals in the teens' hands grew hot, nearly burning them as they focused on infusing the gems with Imanyd energy.

Billy opened his eyes when he felt his gem cooling, and he gave a startled gasp when he felt slight vibrations in his hand. The blue ranger stared in wonder at the now blue crystal in his hand, looking around to see the others holding glowing gems as well.

"Did it work?" asked Kim after some time, the crystal in her hand giving off a pink glow.

"Only one way to find out," said Tommy. He picked up the morpher in front of him and placed his glowing gem inside. Latching it onto his wrist, Tommy moved back from his teammates.

'_Here goes.'_

"SILVER NEO POWER!" he shouted, and a white light flashed brightly in the room.

The other five teens covered their eyes, blinking rapidly to ward off the brightness. They smiled when instead of Tommy before them; they saw a tall man in a white and silver spandex uniform, a large 'N' on his chest.

He pulled off his helmet, grinning at the others before admiring the power suit. They rushed to him in excitement.

"I can't believe it worked," breathed Adam. "Nice job on the uniform, Kim."

"Thanks," she said as she checked the suit for any needed alterations.

"We need to test the others," said Billy after some time. "Teleportation, the com-link… we have to see how the weapons and zords work with the morphers all together."

Tommy grinned at his friend's excitement. Even though he knew Billy was done being a power ranger, the blue ranger couldn't hide his happiness over the feat he and the others just achieved.

Rocky held his morpher in hand, red gem tucked safely inside. "You heard him. Let's get to work."

* * *

**Angel Grove High School**

**Mr. Giordano's Chorus Room**

**Tuesday, 10:04 AM**

"Okay, once more... with feeling."

Mr. Giordano tapped the baton against the stand before taking a deep breath.

Adam rolled his eyes as they sang "God Bless America" for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day. It was the damn altos that were messing up, and he didn't know why the entire choir had to suffer.

Adam winced when he heard the altos sing flat when they should've sang sharp – again - and Mr. Giordano waved his hands in agitation.

"Stop, stop, stop!" he yelled. "We're going to take a fifteen minute break," he said in exasperation. "Altos, please come here."

Adam watched as the alto section made their way to the front. He grimaced when he saw Scorpina standing by the door of the classroom, rolling his eyes when she waved at him.

Tanya stood a few feet away conversing with some of the other sopranos, laughing at something one of them said. Adam made his way over to her. Scorpina headed towards him, and he jumped when she appeared within inches of his face, causing him to collide roughly into another student.

The young boy fell backwards, glaring up at Adam.

"Sorry, Carlos," he said as he reached out a hand, pulling the sophomore up.

"It's fine," said the Mexican boy as he got to his feet. "Just watch out next time."

Adam nodded, walking over to Tanya. The other girls noticed him coming and giggled, leaving abruptly so the two were alone.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she said back.

Adam had apologized to Tanya profusely for his minor freak-out at the barbecue, hoping he hadn't scared her. She disregarded his apology, saying it wasn't necessary and that she was more concerned about if he was okay. Since then, the two had spent a lot of time together, getting to know each other in their new relationship.

Adam was enjoying his time with Tanya these last few weeks. Now that the rangers were on a break, he was able to spend his previously non-existent free time with her. The two had been on several dates together, in addition to spending many nights on the phone talking for hours. As far as he was concerned, everything was right in his world, except for…

He froze when he saw Scorpina stand beside his girlfriend.

The villainess had been haunting Adam for weeks now. He no longer dreamed at night; nightmares plagued him. When he closed his eyes, he would find himself back on Serpentera. He could feel the blades cutting into his muscles, the searing burns on his back. He could smell the blood and sweat from his own body, watching as Scorpina stood above him, sword in hand. Only this time, Kimberly wasn't there to save him. He was all alone, immobile, and in inconceivable pain.

He would wake up right as her sword pierced his skin, sweat all over his body.

During the day, she was with him. She sat next to him in class, rode with him to school – she watched him play soccer from the bleachers after school.

She was _everywhere_.

Billy informed him that he might be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, and after hearing the symptoms, Adam had to agree. He and the blue ranger met regularly to discuss what was bothering him, including his feelings of fear during the fight and of being helpless to protect himself. It was helping him cope with what happened slowly, though he secretly feared Scorpina would always be with him.

"So I was wondering if maybe you wanted to see a movie this weekend?" asked Tanya. "_Species_ is coming out this weekend… so is _Se7en_. You interested?"

Adam focused on her smiling face, though he could see Scorpina circling around them in his peripheral.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I really want to see _Se7en_. I can pick you up Friday… catch a showing around 8?"

Scorpina stood behind Tanya, twirling her sword in her hand.

"Cool. I'll look up the times and let you know," said Tanya.

He saw the warrior reach out a hand, nails within inches of grabbing Tanya's hair. Adam grabbed Tanya's hands quickly, pulling her towards him and away from Scorpina. Tanya looked up at him in mild surprise, and he grinned down at her, kissing her softly on the lips as he turned them around.

"Sorry, I just really wanted to do that," he whispered.

"You can do that whenever you want," she said with a laugh, hugging him to her.

His eyes narrowed when Scorpina materialized behind Tanya, smiling wickedly over her shoulder. Tanya pulled back.

"I'm gonna head back to the other girls. They want to run through the last verse while we're still on break."

He released her, smiling as she walked away. His eyes widened when Scorpina moved in front of her, jabbing her sword roughly into Tanya's stomach. The area around the sword began to darken with her blood on the back of her shirt.

"Tanya!" he yelled.

She turned around with a raised eyebrow. He looked down at her stomach, seeing no sword or blood on her white shirt. Scorpina had disappeared.

"I'll…call you tonight," he said lamely. She nodded, smiling at him as she headed back to the soprano section.

Adam rubbed his forehead in frustration. _'I'm really losing it.'_


	26. Chapter 25

_**Author's Note:** This is the last chapter of Shards. :'( Sad to see this story end. Please read and review. As always, all feedback is appreciated. I hope you like it!_

* * *

**Main Control Room**

**Command Center**

**8:48 PM**

"Zordon, the sensors indicate that Master Vile should arrive in Earth's atmosphere in approximately sixteen days."

The Eltarian sighed.

"ALPHA, IS THERE ANY WAY TO DISCERN HOW MANY SHIPS HE'S BRINGING WITH HIM?"

Alpha quickly pressed buttons on the panel. "Yes, Zordon. His fleet consists of fourteen ships and Serpentera."

This was just the news the Eltarian did not want to hear. Zordon had used the last few weeks as the time to recharge. He had gone so long without stopping in his mission to retrieve the Imanyd shards that his exhaustion was nearly overpowering.

Upon waking up, Zordon was informed of Master Vile's approaching vessels. To further complicate matters, he was unable to contact the rangers – it appeared all of them had turned off their communicators.

"ALPHA, TRY TO CONTACT THE RANGERS AGAIN. THEY MUST BE INFORMED THAT – "

Zordon paused when saw the six Ninjetti warriors materialize before him.

"Oh good! You're here!" said Alpha.

"RANGERS, ALPHA WAS JUST ABOUT TO CONTACT YOU. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU BEGIN MAKING PLANS ON HOW TO HANDLE MASTER VILE."

"He will be reaching Earth in sixteen days," said Alpha in worry.

Tommy glanced at Billy and Kim before stepping forward, eyes locked with their mentor.

"We will not be fighting against Master Vile."

The silence in the room was deafening, and Zordon stared at the white ranger in confusion.

"We have decided to step down as the active ranger team." Tommy stared at Zordon unflinchingly. "We told you before… if you lied to us again, we were done."

Zordon looked at the others, and from their expressions, he knew they were serious.

"AND WHO WILL DEFEND THE EARTH IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO FIGHT?"

Billy stepped forward. "We realize that in making this choice, the Earth will be defenseless. That is why we have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the world is safe."

Billy looked over at his best friend, giving a slight nod in his direction to begin.

"SILVER NEO POWER!"

"GREEN NEO POWER!"

"PINK NEO POWER!"

"BLUE NEO POWER!"

"YELLOW NEO POWER!"

"RED NEO POWER!"

Zordon watched in a mixture of confusion and amazement as the teens morphed before him, wearing spandex suits similar to Ninjor's. They even bore his insignia.

Billy removed his helmet, staring up at their mentor. "We've created the Neo powers to take over in our place. The morphers, zords, and weapons have already been created. The Neozords are fully functional and come together to create the Neo Megazord."

Billy walked over to the console, typing rapidly on the computer to pull up schematics of the machines.

"They resemble and operate like vehicles on Earth. We do not possess the knowledge to build something as intricate as the Ninjazords, but we used them as a guide on how to create zords out of something we can build – cars."

Zordon said nothing, eyes scanning the six vehicles that appeared on the screen.

"Each ranger has a weapon. The pink ranger has the Neo Bow, the yellow ranger has the Neo Daggers, the green ranger has the Neo Axe, the blue ranger has the Neo Lance, the red ranger has the Neo Sword, and the silver ranger has the Neo Flail."

The rangers summoned their respective weapons.

"YOU DID THIS WHILE I WAS RECHARGING." It was a statement, not a question.

Adam looked up at Zordon. "We can't do this anymore, Zordon," he said sadly. "This fight is not ours. It never was."

"But we also couldn't leave the Earth to be destroyed by Master Vile," said Rocky. "We made these powers to protect the Earth, to be used by warriors that will fight against Evil with honor and bravery."

"Warriors that aren't us," finished Tommy.

Silence filled the room as Zordon looked down at them.

"AS YOU ARE RESOLVED TO NO LONGER FIGHT IN THIS WAR, I ACCEPT THESE POWERS YOU HAVE CREATED… ON THREE CONDITIONS."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Name them."

"THE FIRST IS THAT I CHOOSE WHO THE NEO RANGERS WILL BE. EVEN THOUGH YOU CREATED THE POWERS, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WHY I MUST CHOOSE MY WARRIORS AS THEIR MENTOR.

"THE SECOND CONDITION IS THAT YOU MUST TRAIN THE WARRIORS ON HOW TO HANDLE THESE POWERS. AS THE CREATORS, YOU KNOW BEST WHAT THE NEO RANGERS ARE CAPABLE OF AND HOW TO USE THE POWERS. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TEACH THEM THE FULL CAPABILITIES OF THEIR POWERS, THE SAME WAY NINJOR TAUGHT YOU.

"MY FINAL CONDITION IS THAT ALTHOUGH YOU WILL NO LONGER BE ACTIVE RANGERS, YOU WILL AGREE TO SERVE AS AN INACTIVE SECONDARY TEAM TO BE CALLED UPON ONLY IN EMERGENCIES. MASTER VILE POSES A GRAVE THREAT TO THE UNIVERSE AND WHILE THE NEO POWERS ARE SURELY GREAT, THEY ARE NOT AS POWERFUL AS THE NINJETTI. YOU MAY BE NEEDED IN THIS BATTLE."

Tommy turned to his teammates. The first two conditions were sensible in his eyes. As the mentor to the rangers, it was important for Zordon to have some decision about his team. He needed to have rangers he could trust and feel connected with, and none of the rangers wanted the task of choosing the next power team. Training them was also a reasonable request. As the makers of the Neo powers, they were the only ones that could show the new team how to use them.

It was the third condition that made him pause. He didn't exactly mind being called into action again in case of emergencies, although remembering the pain Kimberly was still in from his death made him hesitant to accept.

The Neo rangers, having derived their strength directly from the Imanyd, were incredibly powerful. They would be able to fight valiantly against Master Vile; given that Rita and Zedd no longer possessed the Imanyd shards, the Neo rangers definitely stood a chance.

Of course, Zordon was right – the Ninjetti were the strongest in the universe, and given that the temple was destroyed, there would never be more Ninjetti warriors. Rocky would definitely fight again, more than willing to protect the Earth from Evil. Adam and Aisha were not particularly thrilled with the idea of fighting anymore as rangers, but their compassionate nature and sense of duty would never allow them to say no.

He looked at Billy and Kim, the two he knew more than anyone else wanted to be done with the power rangers for good. Billy both admired and loathed the person he had become as a result of being a ranger, wanting nothing more than to move on to the next phase of his life. As for Kimberly, seeing Tommy die on the floor of the Ninja Megazord shattered any lingering chance of getting her to fight again.

"It's up to you two," he said looking at the pink and blue rangers.

The whole reason for creating the Neo powers was to make sure that once Master Vile made it to Earth, someone was there to protect the Earth.

Someone that wasn't them.

And now they were being asked to do it again. They wanted to say no, but they needed Zordon to accept the Neo rangers so that they could go on with their lives.

Kim bit her lip. "As long as we're clear that it's only in the case of absolute emergencies."

"I concur," said Billy. He knew the Neo rangers weren't as strong as them, and he could understand the potential need for reinforcements, though it would be highly improbable.

Tommy nodded before turning back to the Eltarian. "Fine, but we have conditions of our own."

"WHICH ARE?"

"First," began Tommy, "although you can choose the bearers of the Neo powers, they must accept them of their own free will. No guilt trips or persuasion on your part is allowed.

"Second, we must be there when you choose power bearers, in order to make sure the first condition is met.

"Third, these powers can only be given to those whose physiology can handle exposure to the morphing grid. Several people can access these powers, most likely ranging in age. Children should be a last resort when selecting rangers. We were children when we were given this power and suffered greatly because we were too young to understand what we were getting into."

Zordon looked down at the white ranger.

"I ACCEPT YOUR CONDITIONS."

He smiled sadly. "MY GREATEST REGRET IS THAT YOU WERE PUT IN A POSITION TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING AT AN AGE THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO. PLEASE BELIEVE ME."

Tommy looked at his mentor with an unreadable expression.

"Power down," said the white ranger softly.

"Contact us when you've found your warriors."

The teens disappeared in six streams of light, leaving Zordon and Alpha in their wake.

"Zordon, I'm running a diagnostic on the Neozords. These are quite impressive."

"I WOULD NOT EXPECT ANYTHING LESS FROM THEM," he said with a small smile.

"ALPHA, BEGIN RUNNING A BIOSCAN FOR POSSIBLE BEARERS FOR THE NEO POWERS. WE NEED SIX CANDIDATES IMMEDIATELY."

* * *

**Angel Grove Park**

**Basketball Court**

**Saturday, 2:49 PM**

"You think you got game, Park? You don't have shit," taunted Rocky.

Adam remained quiet, skillfully dribbling the ball between his legs before running around Rocky, making the pass to Tommy. Tommy grinned as he caught the ball, jumping as he made a lay-up.

The white ranger looked over at the suspiciously mute red ranger. "You might want to keep your mouth shut next time."

"Whatever," said Rocky with a dismissive wave of the hand. "Lucky shot."

He turned to the blue ranger."We got this, Billy."

The blue-eyed teen snorted, shaking his head. "Okay, Rocky."

Off to the side, Tanya, Trini, Kim, and Aisha watched the boys play basketball on the court.

"I love him, but I swear that boy needs to learn when to shut the hell up," said Aisha.

Tanya nodded. "He and Billy are getting spanked because of that mouth of his. I didn't know Adam was such a good player."

Kim smiled. "Basketball's his favorite sport next to soccer. That boy is in love with the Lakers." The purple and gold jersey with the name Van Exel on the back over the number nine was proof of Kim's statement.

"What's the score?" asked Trini.

"18 to 12," said Tanya, her eyes never leaving the court. "Tommy and Adam are winning."

Back on the court, Rocky was guarding Adam like a hawk. "I know you're trying to be big and bad because your girl's here," he said. "But she's gonna see how much you suck at this game."

Adam laughed, expertly handling the ball. "You talk too much, Rock."

He looked past the red ranger at the basket, noticing the way was clear with Tommy effectively covering Billy.

"Hey, Rock, you know whose jersey I'm wearing?" asked Adam.

"Yeah, it's Van Exel. What about it?"

"They call him 'Nick the Quick'… here's why."

Adam dribbled the ball through Rocky's legs, running quickly as he jumped high, dunking the ball. Tanya stood, cheering loudly for her boyfriend.

Rocky stood with a sour look on his face. "Cheater."

The black ranger grinned, sweat dripping down his face. "We won fair and square."

Tanya ran up to him, kissing him lightly on the lips. Rocky walked over to Aisha, wanting his own kiss but she held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"First, you lost. Second, you're sweaty and gross. No." Rocky glared before pulling her into a bear hug, and she screamed as his sweat got all over her body.

"You played really well," said Tanya, causing Adam to blush.

"Thanks," he said shyly.

He tensed when he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. He knew without turning that Scorpina was behind him, and he forced himself to ignore her.

"I'm really going to miss this," said Trini suddenly. "All of us here at one time, having fun. We won't be able to do this anymore."

"For a while," corrected Billy. "We'll all be back together again. I'm sure of it."

Tanya swore loudly as she looked at her watch. "Tri, we gotta go."

"Already?" complained Kim.

"Yes, unfortunately. We have to meet with the rest of the track team. Coach Randall is retiring this year, and they're throwing him a party at the gym," said Trini.

She kissed Billy on the cheek and waved to the others; Tanya joined her after parting ways with Adam. The others watched as the two girls climbed into Trini's blue Corolla, heading off to AGHS.

Tommy sat straddling the bench, Kim between his legs as she rested against his chest, the two of them sharing a bag of potato chips.

Adam sat across from them, eyes staring off into the distance.

"You okay?" asked Aisha.

He debated lying, not really wanting to have a group therapy session.

"No… she's here."

They tensed, knowing _she_ meant Scorpina.

"Where?" asked Billy.

He pointed at the red ranger. "Next to Rocky. She's touching his hair."

The red ranger shuddered at the thought.

"I know she's not real," Adam reassured them. "I'm getting better, I promise… it's just gonna take some time."

Kim smiled. "We know you are, Adam." She sighed. "I'm just upset you're going through this in the first place."

'_Another thing being a ranger has cost us,' _she thought to herself, though she unintentionally projected it to the rest of the group.

The conversation died with that thought, and a silence lingered over the group.

"It's going to be any day now," said Rocky quietly. "A new team of rangers."

He looked around. "Are we really going through with this?"

Billy shot a glance at Tommy before taking a deep breath. "Are you having second thoughts, Rocky?"

"I was before," admitted the red ranger. "I initially thought this was the worst idea on Earth and completely selfish on our part."

Billy nodded. "And now?"

Rocky ran a hand through his hair. "Now? I feel the same, but I think I'm at peace with our decision. I see what this has done to you, Billy. And now Adam." He looked at his friend sadly. "I was so caught up in the fact that the world needed us… I forgot that we matter, too."

He looked at Aisha. "When we were on Phaedos and Goldgoyle stabbed you… that was one of the scariest moments of my life." Aisha grabbed his hand comfortingly.

"Not just because of what happened to you, but how I completely lost it afterwards. That wasn't me; that was something brought out by this war. I don't want to see that side of me again," he confessed. "But I hate that it had to come to this."

Adam watched his friend with a faraway gaze. "I can't sleep at night."

They turned to look at him.

"Every night, I relive Scorpina trying to kill me. I can still feel the blades in my arm… every morning I wake up afraid I can't walk, can't feel my legs." His hands ran along his thighs subconsciously. "I think of what I could've lost that night. My life, my mobility… my friends, my future, Tanya. I came too close for my liking. I don't want to tempt fate again."

"So we're all in agreement?" asked Aisha. "We're really giving this up. This is what we feel is right and this is what we want to do."

Tommy felt Kim shift against him uncomfortably, and he didn't have to ask why.

He cleared his throat. "I don't doubt this is what we want to do… it's the part about it being right that's the elephant in the room."

They were silent at his words, knowing he hit the nail on the head.

"We created the Neo powers," Billy reminded them. "The Earth and the rest of the universe will have protection… and need I remind you, we are still technically rangers. We'll be an inactive team. We're not doing anything wrong," he argued.

And for the first time ever, the rangers weren't entirely sure if Billy was right about something - himself included.

"Look," said Tommy finally, "what if we just d–"

Beep. Beep. Beep-beep. Beep. Beep.

Tommy looked at his teammates before calling in. "We read you, Zordon."

"TOMMY, YOU AND THE OTHER RANGERS ARE NEEDED AT THE COMMAND CENTER IMMEDIATELY.

"IT IS TIME."

* * *

**Main Control**

**Command Center**

**3:41 PM**

Tommy and the others entered the main control room, anxiety rolling off of them in waves.

"HELLO, RANGERS."

The six teens stood before Zordon.

"You have selected the rangers?" asked Billy.

"YES," said Zordon.

"ALPHA 5 AND I FOUND SEVERAL CANDIDATES FOR THE NEO POWERS, AND AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I HAVE MADE MY CHOICE."

Six beams of light entered the room, and the Ninjetti warriors found themselves staring into the faces of the next generation of power rangers.

And suddenly the feeling of excitement and nervousness in the Ninjetti warriors quickly transformed into dread and anger when they recognized the faces of their successors.

The two sophomores that were gawking at Tommy and Kimberly in the hallway, Cassie and Ashley.

The rookie quarterback for AGHS, T.J.

The waiter from Olive Garden that served Billy and Trini for their anniversary, Zhane.

The teen Adam accidentally knocked over in chorus when he caught sight of Scorpina, Carlos.

The long-haired teen that thought it was a good idea to play his guitar on Rocky's jeep, Andros.

"Oh my god," said Cassie. "_You_ guys were the power rangers?" She grabbed onto Ashley excitedly. "How cool is that?"

T.J. smiled. "It makes complete sense now. You guys are the top athletes in school – no wonder the rangers were so powerful."

Kim felt her stomach drop as she listened to their excited chatter, and she caught eyes with Rocky. His face was one of complete shock, and his normally tanned skin seemed pale in the dimly lit room.

"C-Congratulations," choked out Adam and he numbly accepted Carlos' offered hand, shaking it limply.

"NEO RANGERS." The six young teens turned towards Zordon, eyes shining with excitement. "YOUR PREDECESSORS WERE KNOWN AS THE NINJETTI WARRIORS, THE STRONGEST WARRIORS IN THE UNIVERSE. YOU KNEW THEM AS THE POWER RANGERS."

"You guys have done so much for the world," said Andros in awe as he looked at the Ninjetti. "Thank you… for everything."

"THESE SIX HAVE ACCEPTED THE NEO POWERS AND THE DUTIES THAT COME WITH BEING A POWER RANGER. ASHLEY WILL SERVE AS THE YELLOW RANGER, CASSIE AS THE PINK RANGER, ZHANE AS THE SILVER RANGER, CARLOS AS THE GREEN RANGER, T.J. AS THE BLUE RANGER, AND ANDROS AS THE RED RANGER."

Aisha's hands covered her mouth as she looked at the Neo rangers. She wanted to throw up. _'This can't be happening…'_

"ANDROS." The red Neo ranger turned towards Zordon. "AS THE ELDEST, YOU WILL BE THE LEADER."

Tommy felt a chill run up his spine as he remembered Zordon saying the same words to him two years prior.

"YOU WILL LEAD THE TEAM INTO BATTLE. I HAVE OBSERVED YOU FROM THE VIEWING GLOBE FOR SOME TIME. I BELIEVE YOU POSSESS THE QUALITIES THAT WILL MAKE YOU A FINE LEADER."

Andros nodded, though it was clear from his expression that he wasn't exactly sure he was fit to lead the team.

"AS POWER RANGERS, YOU WILL SERVE AS ONE OF THE MAIN FORCES OF GOOD, PROTECTING THE WORLD AND THE UNIVERSE FROM EVIL."

Ashley made a face. "But Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd haven't attacked in weeks."

"RITA AND ZEDD WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A BATTLE ON THE MOON BY THE NINJETTI WARRIORS. THEY HAVE SPENT THESE LAST FEW WEEKS RECUPERATING IN RITA'S HOME GALAXY, M51, WITH HER FATHER, MASTER VILE. MASTER VILE WAS NOT PLEASED TO FIND HIS DAUTHER AND LORD ZEDD IN THEIR CONDITION AND IS HEADED TO EARTH TO EXACT REVENGE."

"He's going to try and destroy the world?" asked Carlos.

"HE'S COMING TO NOT ONLY DO THAT, BUT TO STEAL THE IMANYD, THE POWER SOURCE FOR THE POWER RANGERS."

"We can't let him do that," said T.J. forcefully. "He has to be stopped."

The determination in the younger boy's voice caused tears to sting Kim's eyes. _'There's so much they don't know…'_

"THIS IS TRUE, AND AS THE NEO POWER RANGERS, YOU ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE POWER TO DEAL WITH MASTER VILE." He paused. "AS POWER RANGERS, YOU WOULD DEDICATE YOURSELVES TO THE SIDE OF GOOD AND FIGHT TO KEEP EVIL AT BAY."

"We understand," they said in unison.

"Do you?" asked Tommy softly.

The Neo rangers turned to face the leader of the Ninjetti warriors.

"Do you _really _understand what you're agreeing to?" At their confused expressions, he continued. "Every day, every single day, you will be faced with a challenge unlike any other. This isn't a sport or a TV show – this is real life. You see the footage on the news of our battles. You hear the reporters glorify us and what we do, but you're not out there."

His tone darkened. "Being a ranger is about more than fighting a few putties or blowing up the latest monster someone sends down. Fighting as a ranger changes you. You're going to see things someone your age shouldn't see, shouldn't know. You'll travel to different galaxies; meet people you would never know exist."

Aisha could see the excitement growing in their eyes, and she grew disheartened when she realized Tommy's words were having the opposite of the desired effect.

"You'll be forced to make decisions that you can't take back," stressed Adam.

He looked on helplessly as Scorpina twirled a finger in Ashley's hair, the other hand running the tip of her sword across T.J. throat. The black ranger willed himself not to cry out in warning.

"Like what?" asked Cassie.

"Like taking a life," said Billy. "At some point, you will be put in an untenable position where you have to choose between killing and being killed."

Zhane's eyes narrowed. "So it's in self-defense? That's understandable."

Tommy shook his head, frustrated with how they were trying to rationalize it.

"It doesn't matter if you're doing it as an act of murder or protection," said Kim. "Can you honestly live with the knowledge that you took someone's life?"

Andros fixed her with a serious look. "If it's necessary for the good of the world, then yes."

Billy stared at the red Neo ranger.

'_They don't understand,'_ he told the others sadly._ 'Nothing we say will ever make them understand.'_

"Do you really think we can beat this Master Vile guy?" asked Cassie nervously.

"ALL OF YOU POSSESS NATURAL TALENTS WHICH WILL HELP YOU IN BATTLE. YOU ARE ALL CAPABLE OF GREATNESS, BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. I AM CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL SUCCEED."

The worried look did not leave the pink Neo ranger's face.

"THE NINJETTI WARRIORS HAVE AGREED TO TRAIN YOU IN THE DAYS PRECEDING MASTER VILE'S ARRIVAL. THEY WILL BE SHOWING YOU THE FULL EXTENT OF YOUR NEO POWERS, INCLUDING THE WEAPONS AND ZORDS THAT COME WITH IT."

"We have weapons? And what are zords?" asked T.J.

Alpha 5 pressed several buttons, and 3D images of the Neozords and weapons appeared before them.

Billy stood paralyzed as he watched the Neo rangers grow excited over what he and the others created. If there was ever a time when Billy wished he could destroy his own work, now would be it. The images of the Neozords hurt his eyes, and he forced himself to look away, unable to stomach what they- what _he _put in motion.

"This is beyond cool," said Zhane with a wide smile. Andros nodded in agreement.

Adam shivered when Scorpina chuckled loudly in his ear before moving to stand next to the new team, eyes giddy with excitement as she ran her sword on the ground near their feet.

"THE NINJETTI WARRIORS WILL SERVE AS A RESERVE TEAM IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. YOU ARE EARTH'S PRIMARY TEAM AND MAIN DEFENSE AGAINST EVIL." He turned to the automaton. "ALPHA, SHOW THEM TO THEIR QUARTERS. A TOUR OF THE COMMAND CENTER WOULD ALSO BE BENEFICIAL."

The young Neo rangers quickly followed behind the small robot, chatting excitedly about their new powers.

Tommy remained silent until the doors to the control room slid closed, the teens disappearing down the hallway.

Then he marched up to Zordon's tube. "We said no children!"

"I WAS LEFT WITH NO CHOICE."

Kim scoffed. "What do you mean _no_ choice? We know there had to be several candidates for the Neo powers."

"AND THERE WERE," confirmed Zordon. "THIRTY, TO BE EXACT."

"And how many of those thirty were adults?" asked Aisha.

"TWELVE."

Rocky threw up his hands. "Twelve? You had twelve adults to choose from and you didn't pick _any_ of them? Did they all say no?"

"THEY WERE NEVER ASKED."

Adam gasped. "_What?_"

"I RULED THEM OUT AS CANDIDATES FROM THE BEGINNING, LEAVING EIGHTEEN. OF THOSE, THE ONES CHOSEN WERE THE OLDEST. THE REMAINING TWELVE WERE NOT OF AGE TO FIGHT."

"How old were they?" asked Tommy.

"FOUR AND ELEVEN EARTH YEARS. I REFUSE TO PUT SMALL CHILDREN IN WAR."

"But it's okay to send more teenagers," snapped Kimberly. "You didn't even _bother_ to ask the adults!"

"SIX OF THOSE ADULTS WERE OVER NINETY EARTH YEARS. THEY DID NOT POSSESS THE MENTAL CAPACITY OR PHYSICAL STRENGTH REQUIRED OF A POWER RANGER."

"What about the other six? Why didn't you ask them?"

Zordon looked at them sadly. "I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO ASK THEM INSTEAD OF THE SELECTED TEAM, BUT I WAS LEFT NO CHOICE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE BETTER SUITED FOR THE TASK AT HAND."

"_Then ask them!_" yelled Rocky desperately. "You have another group of teenagers out there fighting your war. That isn't fair to them!"

"I WOULD GLADLY DO THAT, ROCKY, BUT I CANNOT."

"Why _not_?" asked Tommy angrily.

"BECAUSE _YOU _HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO FIGHT."

They looked at him startled.

"YOU ARE THE SIX THAT WOULD BE THE NEO RANGERS INSTEAD OF THEM AS YOU ALSO POSSESS THE PHYSIOLOGY THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SURVIVE THE MORPHING GRID. YOU MADE IT CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO FIGHT IN THIS WAR ANY LONGER. I RESPECTED YOUR DECISION AND WAS FORCED TO CHOOSE ANOTHER TEAM. I CHOSE THEM, AND THEY HAVE ACCEPTED."

Billy felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him, and he sagged limply against the console, head buried in his hands.

"This is wrong… this is _all_ wrong," he said softly.

The idea was to make sure the Earth was protected while they could get on with their lives. They built the zords, the weapons… _everything_ was done with the best of intentions. They had made peace with the fact that another group would be faced with the responsibilities of being a power ranger, of having to deal with the emotional and mental scarring that went along with it.

They had specifically told Zordon they wanted children to be chosen as a last resort. They were sure that there existed a group of responsible, rational adults that would take their place, step up and protect all that was good in the universe.

Not once did it occur to them that _they_ were the responsible, rational adults meant for the job. They were too focused on getting out, on putting the job on someone else that they succeeded in doing the one thing they wanted to avoid most.

Condemning another group of unsuspecting teenagers to fight Zordon's war.

Billy was overcome with nausea, sick to his stomach at what they had accomplished.

They really were no better than Zordon.

The six were snapped out of their trance by the sound of approaching bodies and laughter and soon found themselves looking into the innocent eyes of the Neo rangers.

"This place is amazing," said Ashley breathlessly. "Much bigger on the inside then I realized."

Andros nodded, before turning his gaze to the older rangers. "So what's our next move?"

Tommy turned his team, gleaning from their faces what to do next.

And once again, the decision was his to make.

They still had the chance to right this, to save these kids from the pain they knew was inevitable. They could send them all home, reinstate themselves as the rangers, and spare six kids from an experience that would surely break them.

But when Tommy looked into his friends' eyes, he remembered. He remembered the day Billy first killed and how the light in his eyes died when he realized what he had done. He remembered the feeling of helplessness when Aisha was stabbed in the chest, his inability to prevent it and how her near death made Rocky lose control. He remembered the wild rage in Rocky's normally happy face as he brutally attacked Goldgoyle and how he lost all compassion and humanity. He remembered Adam's nearly mutilated body after Scorpina's attack on Serpentera and the heightened fear in the black ranger's eyes as she haunted him constantly.

But most of all, he remembered the look of heartbreaking pain in Kimberly's eyes when he died and how broken she was, and remained, following his death and revival. He could never get the image of his lifeless body out of her mind, and he never wanted her to relive that experience ever again.

He knew as the leader of his team, he was expected to think rationally and to make the best possible decisions, despite personal feelings.

Tommy knew deep down what the right course of action was, and steeling himself, he closed his eyes as the words spilled forth from his lips.

"We begin your training."

* * *

**Angel Grove High School **

**Auditorium**

**Two weeks later**

**Graduation Day**

**2:21 PM**

Billy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a ghost of a smile crossing his face when he saw Tommy roll his eyes at Principal Kaplan from below.

He found it funny that of all the students in Angel Grove High, both the valedictorian and salutatorian were power rangers.

He was glad Aisha was up there with him to give her salutatorian speech and fondly recalled the numerous times he nearly burst into laughter during his speech from her comments in his head. She knew he hated giving his valediction, not at all comfortable with public speaking, and tried to make him laugh in order to ease his mind.

'_With all the things I've seen these last few years, I'm more scared of talking in front of a group of people than being attacked by aliens.'_

He remembered seeing Trini's smiling face in the crowd as he spoke, her long black her contrasting sharply with her bright gold gown. He was happy that she would be with him when he began this next chapter of his life; he had never felt so strongly about anyone before in his life. Granted, she was his first and only girlfriend, but he knew without a doubt that she was the one.

He caught sight of Zhane and Cassie in the back of the room, the two of them chatting quietly. They had volunteered to help out with graduation, running around as ushers when needed. The two waved excitedly at him as he sat on the stage, grins clear as day on their young faces.

He briefly wondered how long it would take before their excitement gave way to self-loathing.

Training the new rangers in the last two weeks had been interesting, to say the least. Billy had almost died when he attempted to show T.J. how to operate his Neo weapon, narrowly missing being decapitated by the teen's Neo lance at least three times. The football player gave him a sheepish look, finally deciding he would just watch Billy instead of trying it out on his own.

The blue Neo ranger reminded Billy a lot of Rocky when he first became a ranger. The boy was very brave and ready to assist when he could, but he did not always think before acting. Billy could easily foresee problems in the future if that behavior wasn't curbed, but he believed more time training would help whip T.J. into shape.

All of them could use some work when it came to self-defense, none were as skilled as his team in hand-to-hand combat. They relied too heavily on their powers, too quick to call upon their weapons or zords in battle for his liking.

'_I suppose they'll learn on the job… We did.'_

He caught sight of his father on the other side of the auditorium, and he gave a sad smile in the older man's direction. His father was the only family member he had left, what with the death of his mother from breast cancer and his older brother's murder… His father would be all alone once he was off to Cambridge.

'_How could I forget that?'_

"And now, it is time for our seniors to make their way to the stage," he heard Principal Kaplan say over the speakers.

Billy rose when Kaplan nodded in his direction, grateful he didn't have to wait long to get his diploma since he was valedictorian.

He stood off to the side, patiently waiting for the people on stage to get everything set up. He took the time to look around the auditorium, surveying the room with a heavy heart.

He never realized how much he would truly miss AGHS or Angel Grove until now.

'_Time to move on.'_

"**William Cranston**."

'_Does he not realize how painfully obvious his toupee is?'_ Aisha thought as Principal Kaplan stood on the stage, hands crossed behind his back.

She scratched her arm underneath her gold graduation gown, finding the fabric incredibly itchy against her skin. Her foot tapped impatiently as Kaplan continued to drone on about the value of education and his high expectations of the seniors.

Aisha looked around the large auditorium, smiling when she caught sight of her parents and older brother in the bleachers. She hadn't expected Keith to be able to make it all the way from Japan, but he was granted leave at the last minute, allowing him to see his baby sister graduate.

Behind her parents were her grandparents, her aunt Michelle and her uncle James. She smiled when her father winked at her, a bright smile on his face.

It was strange to think she was graduating, about to take that final step that would end her high school career.

'_And so much more.' _

Her thoughts drifted to the Neo rangers, specifically Ashley Hammond. The sophomore had taken on the role of the Neo yellow ranger, succeeding Aisha. She liked Ashley; the girl was incredibly sweet and hilarious. Ashley was very excited about being a power ranger, sometimes startling Aisha with her eagerness.

'_I don't remember being that excited, but maybe because it was just shoved on us.'_

She supposed it was different for them than the Ninjetti rangers. They became power rangers when no other team existed, so they had no expectations. Ashley and the others had already known about power rangers from the footage of their fights on television, giving them a small, _skewed_ idea of what they would be getting into.

'_They don't really know, though,'_ thought Aisha sadly. _'I guess they'll learn soon enough when Vile comes.'_

She stood behind Billy, playing with the back of his blue gown as she waited to walk across the stage.

She caught sight of Rocky below them, chin resting against his chest as he sat in his chair sleeping. She snickered, knowing he was drooling on his gown.

Aisha knew she was lucky to have a guy like Rocky in her life. Even though he was a tad "uncivilized," as Billy liked to describe him, she had never met a guy as caring or devoted as Rocky. Their relationship was still new, and neither had a clue what UCLA would bring in the fall, but she was glad she would be with him for the ride.

She watched Principal Kaplan shake Billy's, and the blue-eyed teen made his way across the stage, taking his seat once again. Taking a deep breath, Aisha smiled when she felt the bright light on her face.

"**Aisha Campbell**."

Down on the auditorium floor, the red Ninjetti ranger snored softly in his chair, arms crossed over his chest and head now tilted back dangerously. A small amount of drool was building at the right corner of his mouth.

He was exhausted from the night before, spending nearly four hours with Tommy training the new team. T.J., Zhane, and Andros showed promise of making decent fighters, though they needed some work with their form. Ashley and Cassie were impressive as well, though neither were as fierce as Kim and Aisha when they fought.

Carlos was proving to be, well… quite _terrible_ at fighting. The boy lacked confidence in himself, something Rocky and Tommy never had a problem with. They left him to Adam, realizing Carlos needed a lot more one-on-one instruction than the others; given that Adam had the most patience, he was left in charge of the young boy.

Rocky's blue cap fell off his head onto the floor, tousled brown hair out for the world to see. A jab in his side jolted him forward, and he reflexively kicked the seat in front him, causing the girl sitting there to nearly fall out of her chair.

"_No lo ha hecho_," he mumbled as he looked around the auditorium blearily, slightly confused by his surroundings. (I didn't do it)

He wiped at the drool on the side of his mouth, shaking his head as he blinked away the sleepiness from his eyes. He looked up at the stage, grinning goofily when he saw Aisha biting her lip as she tried not to laugh at him. Billy sat beside her with a small smile, head shaking from side to side.

The red Ninjetti ranger stretched his limbs as he yawned, lazily scratching his stomach as he watched student after student walk across the stage to get their diploma. He could feel a heated gaze on him, and he turned, wincing when he met his mother's angry gaze from across the room. He knew he was going to get it for sleeping during graduation, especially with all of his siblings there watching him. He gave a slight wave in Maria's direction, and she pointed angrily at him, a move he knew meant turn around. Adriana sat on their mother's lap, and she waved excitedly at her older brother when she saw him looking in their direction. Rocky smiled, sticking out his tongue to the child's amusement.

Rocky grinned when his row was told to stand, jumping to his feet before anyone else in his enthusiasm. Jacob Donaldson sat behind him, hand extended out with Rocky's graduation cap in hand; it had fallen near his feet while the teen was sleeping.

"Thanks," said Rocky quickly as he slipped it on, playfully flicking around the tassel.

He walked to the stage, huffing in irritation when he realized he would be waiting in line for some time before they got to his name. He glanced up at Aisha, disappointed when he saw her talking quietly with Billy.

'_I should probably let them be… with Billy heading up to MIT, she won't have the luxury of talking to him so easily anymore.'_

Rocky frowned at that thought, the realization that they would all be parting ways very soon hitting him hard. Aisha would still be with him, and Adam would be with Tanya just north of them in the Bay Area, but the others…

Billy, Tommy, and Trini would be on the other side of the country; Kim would be just a tiny bit closer in Maryland, albeit alone.

'_Things are going to be different now… everyone's going their separate ways…'_

It was a little unnerving to think about, but he had faith that everything would work out in the end. They had been through too much together both as friends and teammates to let things between them end.

Rocky grinned when Yeyson DeMayo's name was called, knowing he was next to walk.

'_About damn time.'_

"**Roberto Desantos**."

Kim snorted when she saw Rocky cross the stage with a grin a mile wide. He shook Principal Kaplan's hand enthusiastically, jostling the older man so much that his hairpiece slipped to the side.

The pink Ninjetti ranger laughed out loud when she caught sight of the principal on the JumboTron, quickly quieting when she felt several pairs of eyes on her.

"Sorry," she whispered, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth.

Rocky winked at her as he headed back to his seat, and she snickered lowly.

'_God, I'm going to miss that kid,'_ she thought sadly.

She was going to miss all of her friends terribly when she left in the fall for John Hopkins. She would miss the inside jokes and shopping sprees with Aisha… the crazy mishaps and endless teasing from Rocky… the sarcastic exchanges with Billy that left them both in stitches…

More than anything, though, she would miss Adam and Tommy.

If anyone had told her back in seventh grade that the same awkward, quiet boy that transferred from Kansas would become one of her best friends by the time she was eighteen, she would have laughed in their face. She hadn't thought much about Adam Park when she was younger, and now she couldn't imagine her life without her big little brother. Adam had become someone she cared deeply for, and it pained her to think of him being all the way on the other side of the country after growing so close to him.

And Tommy…

She briefly wondered if she would feel as attached to her boyfriend if they had never been rangers, if they had been able to have a normal relationship filled with normal teenage activities…

'_Maybe then it wouldn't hurt so much.'_

Before their final mission at the lunar palace, Kim had been sad about leaving Tommy but firm in her decision to go. But now… after losing- no, _almost_ losing him to Goldar, she was very reluctant to leave him. Kim knew it was too late to change her mind, having already accepted the decision to attend John Hopkins weeks ago. Not to mention the fact that Tommy would kill her if she gave up the opportunity to pursue a lifelong dream just to be with him. The two had already discussed their impending separation, and he was unyielding that she go to John Hopkins.

"_I know you love me and that's why you're saying this, but I love you enough to ask you not to."_

It hurt when he said those words to her, though she knew deep down, Tommy was only doing what was best for her. She knew he was right, but she couldn't fight the fear at being away from him.

Intellectually, Kim knew she had nothing to be afraid of. Her faith in Tommy and their relationship was unwavering; no distance would ever be able to break them apart. Tommy never even noticed other women where Kim was concerned, and she was too in love with Tommy to break up with him with some guy she knew would never compare to him.

'_As if I could find someone to replace Tommy… it's not like he'd let me leave him anyway.' _

Kim stood when she saw two ushers wave for her row to go up to the stage. She smoothed out her gold gown, readjusting her cap on her head before making her way to the stage. Cassie Chan stood at the end of her row, and the pink Neo ranger waved excitedly at the older girl.

Kim waved back, mentally wincing from how enthusiastic the sophomore was. Training Cassie proved to be an _interesting_ experience for Kimberly at first, something akin to pulling teeth. The teen was reluctant to do most of the work required, including using her crossbow and learning offensive moves. She had to get tough with the young girl, even going so far as to using the girl's idolization of her as a way to get her to listen.

Now, she was confident that Cassie would make an exceptional power ranger… eventually. She was a reasonably good archer; she was not as good as Kimberly but she could get there with a bit more practice. She still needed a bit more work with her hand-to-hand combat, but overall, she was fast on her way to being a formidable fighter for the side of Good.

Standing at the base of the stage, Kim stared out at her classmates with a bored expression, wishing the line would move faster. She lightly blew on the tassel hanging near her eye, curious to see how far she could make it fly up.

She tensed when she felt someone looking at her, and she grinned sheepishly when she saw Tommy shake his head, brown eyes bright with amusement as he looked at her.

She winked back before turning around, making her way up the few steps to the stage. Aisha gave a small wave when she saw the pink ranger.

'_Is your gown making you itchy as well?' _came Aisha's voice in her head.

'_Oh my god, yes! I'm dying to get out of this damn thing already,'_ complained Kim.

'_You two can't hold off for five minutes without talking about clothing, can you?'_ asked Billy.

'_Shut up, Billy,'_ said the female rangers in unison.

Kim saw the sandy-haired teen smirk, and she rolled her eyes. She quickly fixed her face into one of happiness when she saw Principal Kaplan smile in her direction, and she stepped onto the stage.

"**Kimberly Hart**."

Tommy figured it was probably bad that the first thought to cross his mind when Kim walked across the stage to get her diploma was what exactly she was wearing beneath that gold gown.

He couldn't really be held responsible for his wandering mind – the entire graduation ceremony was beyond boring.

'_Thank God I'm an honor student. I don't think I'd have made it if I had to graduate any later than I do now.'_

His eyes followed Kim as she walked off stage, gaze fixed on her ample bottom. If only the gown were a few inches higher…

'_Stop it, Tommy.'_

He looked up into her eyes, chuckling at her annoyed look. _'Sorry, beautiful.'_

The white ranger sighed loudly, desperately wishing the day was over with. He hated waiting for anything, and sitting down as he waited to be called to line up was proving torturous.

Ashley and Cassie passed by him, giggling slightly to each other before waving at him. He gave them a tight smile, waiting until they passed him before rolling his eyes.

'_They could at least be more discreet.'_

By now, Tommy had grown accustom to the looks and giggles of the pink and yellow Neo rangers. At first, he didn't understand what they were doing; it wasn't until the day he took off his shirt during training and heard them squeal that he finally understood.

'_Girls.'_

Their ogling had died down some since training had begun. Initially it proved problematic; the girls were too distracted to fight against him and the other guys because they were too busy staring. Aisha and Kim had to train the two in a separate area so they could concentrate on fighting.

In retrospect, he wished they had stayed; the girls were better than the guys. Training the male rangers was easily one of the most frustrating things Tommy ever had to do. T.J. was too rash to follow directions properly, often executing the simplest move incorrectly. Zhane was incredibly arrogant and had little to back it up. The teen had some karate experience under his belt and mistook that as being ready to serve as the silver Neo ranger. Tommy promptly wiped the floor with the blond teen when his ego became intolerable, humbling the younger boy.

The remaining two were the most troubling for Tommy. Carlos lacked the confidence of a fighter, and Tommy wasn't sure how he felt about the boy being the green Neo ranger. Granted, he had improved drastically since they first began training him, but his negative view on his abilities, no matter how true, were not conducive to the mindset he needed to win in this war.

And Andros…

Tommy debated on whether or not he should talk to Zordon about the decision to make Andros the leader of the Neo rangers. He understood it was based off of age, and as the oldest, Andros naturally assumed the position of leadership. T.J. was chosen to be his second-in-command, but Tommy wondered if it might be a better idea to make T.J. the team leader. The current leader of the Neo team was actually quite skilled in karate, but Tommy found Andros too emotionally unstable at crucial times during training. When the teen was focused and calm his leadership skills were in top form, but there were times when he would become easily frustrated or incredibly moody that gave Tommy pause.

He and Rocky had discussed the red Neo ranger last night after training, unsure if his skills as a leader outweighed his mood swings.

"_I told you guys, that kid's emo."_

Maybe Rocky was right.

Tommy sank in his chair, grinning at the love-struck look on Billy's face when Trini received her diploma. The only other time he had seen that look on the blue ranger's face was when he received a new DC motor controller kit last Christmas.

He imagined that's what he looked like whenever Kim was around. He felt a warmth fill him at just the thought of his girlfriend. _'God, I'm going to miss her so much.'_

If there was one thing Tommy looked forward to the least, it was parting ways with Kimberly in the coming weeks. Normally, they would spend most of their summer together, but he was leaving for Okinawa for the international karate competition in about three weeks and would be gone for nearly a month. Kim would be leaving for her gymnastics competition in Los Angeles two days after he made it back to the states, leaving them with a total of less than five weeks to spend together – and that didn't include the time spent with the rest of their friends.

'_Guess we'll just have to make the most out of it.'_

Maryland wasn't too far away from Massachusetts… not on a map, anyway. Tommy knew it would be tough being apart, especially given his death and subsequent resurrection, but they would be able to get through it.

They loved each other.

The white ranger yawned loudly, drawing attention to himself as he idly traced patterns on his gown out of boredom.

'_This is taking too fucking long…'_

He nearly yelped with happiness when he saw Zhane come to his row, indicating that it was time for them to line up. The long-haired teen made his way to the stage, smiling when he saw Kim blow a kiss in his direction as he passed her.

He released a breath he didn't know he was holding as he neared the stage.

'_This is it… the last step before everything becomes different. No more high school, no more being a ranger… I get to be normal now.'_

As he stepped onto the brightly lit stage, he found it strange how much that single thought scared him.

"**Thomas Oliver**."

Adam watched Tommy shake Kaplan's hand, and he didn't miss Billy's eyes rolling when Tommy looked in his direction.

'_Knowing Tommy, he probably said something rude.'_

Adam stretched his neck from side to side, rubbing the tender muscles firmly. He had spent yet another late night practicing with Carlos. Adam felt responsible for the green ranger; first, because he was his successor and second, because the young boy wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for Adam.

Adam understood Carlos' frustrations well. He had been the same when he first started practicing martial arts as a child, failing miserably when trying to execute moves because he had low self-esteem. It was because he practiced kung fu for several years that Adam built confidence in himself as a fighter. Carlos wasn't afforded the luxury of over a decade of martial arts training, but Adam was determined to help the younger teen develop more faith in himself and his abilities as a ranger.

The black Ninjetti ranger climbed to his feet, walking with his row to stand in line at the front of the stage. He caught sight of Tanya a few rows back and smiled widely in her direction. His girlfriend returned his smile with a grin of her own.

'_My girlfriend… who knew so much could change in so little time…'_

It made him wonder about the future.

Adam was absolutely ecstatic about the upcoming fall. He was going to the school he wanted with the girl of his dreams, and he would actually have time to enjoy himself now that he was no longer a power ranger.

Admittedly, he still felt somewhat guilty about pushing the responsibility onto another group of teenagers but realized it was what he and the others needed to do in order to save what was left of them. His life had been turned upside down since he became a ranger, starting with his first kill and ending with the visions of Scorpina that still haunted him. Her appearance was becoming less frequent with time, but she still managed to show up whenever something would remind him of the fight on the moon.

Adam rested heavily against the railing as he waited to receive his diploma. He stifled a laugh when Kim stuck her tongue out at him.

'_Cute,'_ he sent to her mentally.

'_I try,' _she responded sweetly.

Principal Kaplan nodded at the black ranger when it was his turn to walk, and Adam blinked against the harsh light in his eyes.

"**Hyo Park**."

The rest of graduation went by in a blur for the rangers, though they all managed to pay attention when Tanya crossed the stage. The awarding of diplomas took nearly two hours, by the end of which only two rangers remained awake.

Tommy's head was bent at an awkward angle as he slept, mouth open wide. Kim was a bit more discreet, arms folded across her chest and hair covering her face as she slumbered. Adam's head was battling gravity, bobbing up and down every now and then when he would wake up. Rocky was fully turned in his seat, curled into a fetal position as he snored softly in his chair.

'_I wish we weren't on stage,'_ said Aisha in Billy's head. '_I want to take a nap, too.'_

Billy smirked. _'I see Rocky has had a positive influence on you.'_ He grinned when she smacked his thigh.

A loud screech over the speakers shocked everyone in the room, and Aisha snorted when she saw her friends jolt awake. Rocky merely turned in his seat, and it took someone physically shaking him awake for the red ranger to get up.

"I apologize for the noise," said Principal Kaplan. "Seniors, will you rise?"

The students slowly climbed to their feet.

"If you would please move your tassels to the left."

In near unison, the seniors moved the tiny ornament from right to left on their caps.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Angel Grove High School graduating class of 1995!"

Blue and gold caps flew in the air and thunderous applause filled the room as the graduates cheered loudly, exchanging hugs and kisses with their classmates.

It was finally over.

* * *

**Angel Grove Youth Center**

**Juice Bar**

**Angel Grove, CA**

**4:19 PM**

"Let's hear it for Angel Grove High's seniors!"

Whistles and loud clapping were heard in the Youth Center as everyone lifted their free smoothie in the air. The building was packed with people.

"You've got to be kidding," muttered Tommy irritably, eyes narrowed as he observed something across the room.

He and the others were seated at their usual table in the Youth Center. Their families were off mingling in the room, telling each other how much they'll miss their kids.

"What is it?" asked Aisha as she looked around, eyes widening slightly before rolling. "Oh, Lord…"

Over near the far end of the Youth Center stood the Neo rangers, each wearing their respective color.

"Oh look… the rainbow coalition…" said Rocky with a shake of his head.

"They can't possibly be this stupid," whispered Kim fiercely. "This is like the sixth time in a row I've seen them wear their colors."

"Fourteenth," informed Adam as he took a sip of his smoothie. "I've been keeping count."

Billy sighed. "Perhaps we should inform them that this is not their best idea as it pertains to keeping a low profile."

The white ranger rubbed his temples tiredly. "I'm gonna kill them. What part of _secret_ identity don't they understand?"

"You know, Tommy, they could just be doing it to help them remember. Being a ranger _is_ hard work… maybe wearing their colors all the time reminds them of who they are," offered Rocky.

Kim laughed into her cup at the red ranger's words, and Tommy shot him an annoyed look.

Rocky laughed. "Come _on_, T… they're just excited. Give it a few days; it'll pass."

"And if it doesn't?" asked Adam.

"_Then_ we kill them."

The ground beneath their feet shook violently at that moment, and the Youth Center filled with panicked screams.

The Ninjetti warriors looked at each other in alarm. "What the hell was that?" asked Aisha.

Tremors rocked the building once more, sending several objects crashing to the floor. The teens found themselves on the ground when the shaking finally stopped.

"You kids all right?' asked Tommy's father.

"Yeah, dad, we're good. What_ was _that? Didn't feel like an earthquake," said Tommy.

Frank Oliver nodded in agreement. "No, it didn't… but I'm not sure what–"

Their heads turned when they heard a surprised gasp. "Look! It's the power rangers!"

The six teens looked at each other in confusion before rushing to the large window of the Youth Center, gathering behind the growing crowd.

Outside, six figures in brightly-colored spandex were fighting off a patrol of putties. They easily defeated the clay creatures before teleporting out in six beams of light, following after the large monster that was attacking Angel Grove.

"That was _so _cool!" said one excited child as the crowd began to part.

"Totally! And the new uniforms are awesome!" said another.

The six Ninjetti warriors remained by the window long after the fight was over, each wearing a strange expression.

"That was… odd," said Tommy after some time, unsure of how he felt about watching the battle as opposed to fighting in it.

'_Didn't an attack on the city warrant at least a check-in with Zordon?'_ he thought irritably. _'We wanted out… but I didn't expect it to be so abrupt.'_

"Yeah," said Adam slowly. "I didn't think seeing them in action would feel so…"

"Weird?" supplied Rocky as he rubbed his communicator idly, as if the action would make it start beeping. "I know what you mean."

"Was anyone else waiting for Alpha to call us in to fight?" asked Aisha quietly. "As soon as I felt the ground shake, I just _knew_ it was a matter of time before we were out there fighting."

"It's not like that anymore, guys," said Kim lowly. "Remember?"

They quieted at her words. Up until now, they had never actually experienced not being rangers. Things had been relatively peaceful on Earth for the last few months, and even with training the new rangers to take over, they were still the active team on Earth.

But not anymore.

"I guess… I guess Master Vile is finally attacking," said Adam softly.

Billy nodded. "Affirmative. He most likely sent out a monster to gain some insight on Earth's current defenses."

Rocky sighed as he looked out the window. "It feels strange to do nothing, you guys. My instincts are telling me to go to the Command Center."

Tommy crossed his arms in annoyance, wholeheartedly agreeing with Rocky. Right now, he and his team would be in the Command Center, coming up with a way to handle Master vile. They would be strategizing in the control room, planning out their next attack on the new enemy.

But instead, they were in the Youth Center, safe and sound as the Neo rangers were out there defending the city.

The white ranger sighed. _'That's not our job anymore. We need to accept that.'_

"I know what you mean, Rock. We're wired up to respond to things like this because of our time as rangers, but Kim's right; that's not who we are… not anymore," the long-haired teen said solemnly as he looked at his friends.

"We made the decision to stop fighting, and we found capable people to take on the job. If we're needed, they'll let us know."

He stared at them hard in the eyes one by one. "This isn't our fight anymore, it's theirs – we have to honor that decision… _our _decision."

His words were met with mixed expressions, ranging from understanding to reluctant agreement. Tommy understood where each of them was coming from, having felt all those emotions himself.

But that didn't change anything.

"Come on, guys," he said with a strained smile, looping an arm around Kim and Billy's shoulders. "It'll be fine."

He forced himself to push the battle outside to the back of his mind.

"Now… let's go be normal."

**THE END**

* * *

_**Comments:**_

_Before anyone asks or sends me angry PMs, yes, the story stops here (no sequel, not anytime soon anyway). Is it actually over? Not really. As you can see, __**Shards **__could continue well beyond where I stopped it in many directions, but I made the decision to end it here for several reasons._

_1) My intention was only to write for the original six until they were no longer the active ranger team. Since they have effectively passed the torch, the story stops here because the focus shifts to the new team, and I don't want to write about them, LOL. I only do MMPR._

_2) The same way you're dropped into their lives abruptly, you're pulled out. That's what I wanted from the very beginning when I planned this fic out._

_3) I don't believe in happy endings, LOL. Life doesn't wrap itself up nicely and end with everything resolved. I like the openness of the end because it can be taken in any direction. However, Shards is the only fic I'll write for MMPR that will have such an ambiguous ending. I usually end my fics with everything answered or at least provide more closure, but this will be the first and only time this happens._

_4) This story could go on forever, and I don't have that kind of time. If it were still summer, yes, but I'm a senior in college, and I have other stuff I want to write as well._

_I highly encourage anyone that would like to do something with Shards to go ahead, just ask for permission and credit me for the idea._

_That being said, I would first like to thank my AMAZINGLY AWESOME beta psycochick32 for all the editing and extremely helpful comments. You're the best EVER. I would also like to thank everyone who has reviewed my fic. Your reviews were extremely helpful in pushing me to turn a small idea into an actual fic, which now has 150+ reviews (I'm still shocked by this). Thank you so much._

_The new Evil Green Ranger fic will be up soon. My beta has read through part it and has spazzed out over it several times, LOL. Hopefully you guys will enjoy that. Also have a one-shot coming up in the next few days based on an episode from MMPR Season 3. Look out for that._

_I hope you enjoyed __**Shards of Darkness**__. Thanks for reading. :)_


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